COIMBATORE: A 24-year-old state-level kabaddi player sustained injuries on his lower jaw after he was allegedly hit by a police personnel with a traffic reflector stick during a vehicle check on Puliyakulam-Sungam Road in Coimbatore on Monday.
The injured youth, identified as S Ashwin from Puliyakulam, was admitted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for treatment.
According to Ashwin's father, T Senthilkumar, the incident occurred around 8.30 pm when Ashwin was riding his bike from Puliyakulam to Sungam to meet a friend. On spotting a vehicle check being conducted by a team from Ramanathapuram Police Station, Ashwin attempted a U-turn fearing action for not wearing a helmet.
Senthilkumar alleged that a policeman standing a few metres away from the checking point deliberately hit his son on the face with a reflector stick, causing injury to his lower jaw.
"When I questioned the police about attacking my son, one officer claimed they suspected he might be carrying a weapon and was trying to escape. The police response was very casual. They have no right to attack anyone on the face during a routine vehicle check, even if there is a traffic violation," he said.
He added that a senior police officer of Assistant Commissioner rank visited the hospital and urged the family not to escalate the matter.
Ashwin received five stitches on his lower jaw. The family claimed that the police are yet to register their complaint.
When contacted, G Muthulakshmi, Inspector of Police, Ramanathapuram, said the policeman did not attack Ashwin intentionally. "When the youth tried to evade the check, the officer just extended the traffic reflector stick in front of him, and he accidentally sustained the injury," she said.
The inspector added that a complaint has been received from the police personnel alleging that around five persons from the injured youth's side quarrelled with policemen on duty. She said no case has been registered yet as talks are ongoing between both sides.