COIMBATORE: While bribes and the threat of false cases have now become entrenched with the public image of at least a section of the police department, this man and woman in Mettupalayam got to experience the full force of the hand of the law when they were forced to pay Rs 10,000 to a head constable and one constable.
Their ‘crime’ -- meeting by the side of the road near Periyanaickenpalayam around midnight.
The department has since taken action against the two policemen and launched an inquiry into the issue.
In a complaint submitted to the office of the superintendent of police, the woman mentioned that the two personnel -- Suresh (38), a head constable, and Palanisamy (32), a constable -- were on a night patrol when they chanced upon her and her boyfriend meeting at the Mettuapalayam road.
After questioning them about who they were and what had brought them there, the men demanded Rs 10,000 to let them go free.
This would help them avoid further ‘police action’, the couple was warned.
To escape from the immediate threat, they handed over the money and left, the woman narrated in her complaint. This was two months ago.
After the complaint was filed on Friday, Suresh was suspended. An explanation has been sought for his actions.
Palanisamy, on the other hand, has been temporarily transferred to armed reserve police in Coimbatore, said a police official. Periyanaickenpalayam deputy superintendent of police has been instructed to inquire into the complaint.
Commenting on the issue, Superintendent of Police Sujith Kumar declared that asking bribes and extorting the public are offences and the police department should avoid it. Departmental action will be taken after the policemen explain themselves, he added.
Though officials admitted that the two men had indeed taken the money, there has been no word on the amount being returned to the couple.
Miscreants rob Rs 1.5 lakh from TASMAC staff at knifepoint in Othakadai
Madurai: The district police are on the lookout for four miscreants who reportedly attacked three employees of a Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor shop and robbed Rs 1.5 lakh from them at knifepoint in Othakadai here on Saturday night. According to police, the three TASMAC staff -- supervisor P Vadivel (41) of V Perumalpatti in Usilampatti, salesman M Pandi (35) of Nadu Muthalaikulam, and watchman K Manickam (67) of Thirumohur -- were at the shop when the robbery happened.
According to them, when Vadivel was busy in counting the cash around 9.55 pm, four unidentified miscreants who arrived in a hatchback, barged into the shop and surrounded Vadivel. On seeing one of them holding Vadivel at knifepoint, Pandi and Manickam attempted to rescue their colleague.
However, the gang overpowered the staff by attacking them. While Pandi sustained cut injuries on his fingers, Manickam suffered cut injuries on his hand.
Robbing Rs 1.5 lakh in cash from Vadivel, the gang fled the spot. A police officer told Express that the miscreants were unmasked and posed as customers before barging into the shop.