Sadalaga police on Monday arrested a constable attached with the Central Reserve Police Force for insulting and assaulting police constables who were enforcing the lockdown in Examba village.
The constable Sachin Savant who had come to his village of Examba on leave, got into a fight with the police. He has been produced before the magistrate who remanded him in judicial custody.
The incident happened on April 23 when two constables, who were on patrol duty, were asking people to stay indoors.
The police were enforcing the Deputy Commissioner’s orders prohibiting spitting in public places and venturing out without wearing a mask.
Mr. Savant was standing on the road outside his house in Magdumgalli in Examba village, chatting with 6-7 persons. Seeing the police, his friends ran away while he stayed back. When the police asked him why he was not wearing a mask, he snapped back at them, saying who they were to ask him, as he was a CRPF constable himself.
The policemen tried to reason it out with him that the rules were the same for everyone and no one was exempted, he did not accept it and a heated argument followed.
Mr. Savant then pushed the elderly constable violently. Appeals by his family members and residents did not cool down. He also kicked one of the constables on the stomach. This angered the police who hit him with a lathi.
Sadalaga police have registered a case against him (CR NO 44/2020). He has been charged with I.P.C 353, (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), IPC 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), and 504 IPC ( Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and sec 3 of Epidemic disease act.
Pictures of the constable being tied to the rods of the cell in the police station were widely shared on social media. Some twitter users accused the police of ill treating a CRPF Cobra commando.
SP Lakshman Nimbargi said that the rules were the same for everyone and no one was exempted. He said the CRPF constable had assaulted the police personnel on duty, insulted and voluntarily caused them hurt.
“Even after Mr. Savant was taken to the police station he continued to shout at the officers. The police station had only women constables and some elders on duty. The young CRPF constable was capable of overpowering the constables. They tied him up to discipline him and to stop further attempts of assault,” the SP said. “Due process has been followed in the case. After interrogation, he was arrested and produced before the magistrate on the same day. There is no lapse on our part,” he said.
