BANGALORE: The impunity with which two women slippered and kicked an imposter inside the Amruthahalli police station on Thursday has raised serious questions about the safety of an accused, (whatever his/her crime), who is in the custody of law keepers.
Local policemen claimed that at the time Lakshmipathy was assaulted by his wife Anitha and another woman Geetha, no FIR was registered against him and hence they did not intervene.
Activists and lawyers said the incident happened in the police station premises and therefore cannot be wished away as an ordinary incident. Since Lakshmipathy was brought to the station by the police, the latter must have ensured that he was dealt with as per law.
Bangalore Commissioner of Police Shankara Bidari acknowledged that it is "an offence to take law into their hands by attacking a person, that too in the police station".
Bidari, while refusing to go by television visuals of the incident, promised to initiate "suitable action" after verifying the facts.
According to leading criminal lawyer S Shankarappa, assaulting a person inside the police station is nothing but an attempt to murder in the presence of police.
"This incident is a cognisable offence which would attract Section 307 IPC (attempt to murder)," he said. "The police had abetted the women by not performing their duty. So a case can be filed against them too."
Chandrashekar Hiremat, deputy director of prosecution, Bangalore Urban District, said assaulting someone in the police station was only a noncognisable offence. "The victim can file a complaint before the jurisdictional court," he said.
While MS Ashok, the Amruthahalli Police Station inspector, admitted that some of his personnel were present at the station during the incident, he refused to name them.
A few policemen at the station claimed that they were not present at the scene as Lakshmipathi was assaulted in the second floor when they had allowed his wife to meet him.
"We were shocked when we learnt that his wife and Geetha were slippering and kicking him. Immediately, we intervened and rescued the accused," a policeman claimed.