BENGALURU: A top railway official was hauled to the police station after driving over a cop's foot near the Chikkanavara railway station where preparations were on to run the fifth migrant train from Karnataka on Monday.
Heading in his Santro on the Hessarghatta Main Road leading to the station, the official could not apply the brakes immediately when a cop stopped him and drove over his foot unintentionally. A furious altercation ensued between them and the official was later made to cool his heels for over four hours at Sodedevanahalli police station and finally let off after submitting a written apology.
According to sources, the official attached to the commercial department was on his way to the railway station around 11.45 pm. A Shramik Special was scheduled to leave around 3 pm to Jaipur. "He had just taken a left turn from the Main Road to reach the railway station when one of the cops on bandobust duty asked him to stop as part of the stringent checking in place for vehicles heading to the railway station. The official applied the brakes but the vehicle stopped only after a tyre ran over the constable's foot," a source said.
The cop did not suffer any major injury except that the foot became swollen badly. The real issue was the behaviour of the official, the source added. "Instead of apologising for his mistake, he got out of the car and questioned the cop for stopping him. A heated exchange of words ensued and the official finally drove to Chikkabanavara railway station," the source said. He agreed to bear the cop's medical expenses.
The official meanwhile got busy with work in connection with the running of the train. Half an hour later, a few cops from Sodedevanahalli police station reached the spot and took him to their station by a police vehicle. "The injured cop had filed a complaint against the official at the station. So, he had to be brought for interrogation," a source explained.
He was made to cool his heels for nearly four hours there, he added. "Due to the impending train launch and the numerous work to be done in this connection, no one from the Railways could rush to his rescue immediately. The train left at 3.20 pm and a senior official was sent to the police station only after that to handle the problem. On behalf of the Railways, he then requested for the complaint by the cop to be withdrawn. A written apology was submitted by the railway official who drove the car on the insistence of the police. Around 4.30 pm, the duo was allowed to leave the police station," the source said.
Another source confirmed the entire incident. Top railway officials claimed they did not know anything about the episode.