KOCHI: Days have been tough for police personnel deployed on Covid duty at public places after the liquor outlets reopened. Two cops in city were injured in back-to-back incidents after people under the influence of alcohol attacked them. While one incident was reported at Marine Drive in the city, the other happened in front of the Bevco outlet near High Court Junction. In the Marine Drive incident, the officer who sustained severe injuries on his neck is still under treatment.
Bhagavathi, who is in his thirties, in an inebriated state unleashed an attack on the police officers who were on duty at Marine Drive around 9.30pm on Monday, after they reprimanded him for consuming alcohol at the public place. When he was taken to the police aid post nearby, he continued to create a scene. At the aid post, he broke the glass cabin and assaulted senior civil police officer Aneesh Kumar with a broken glass piece, according to witnesses. The other officers managed to overpower him.
“The arrested was taken to General Hospital, where tests confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol. As he was also injured while breaking the glass panes of the aid post, the doctors referred him to Kottayam Medical College Hospital for scanning and further medical tests,” said an official who was on duty at Marine Drive.
The incident cost Central police a lot as the vehicle taking him to Kottayam MCH met with an accident, injuring four officers. Civil police officer Ratheesh is recuperating at a private hospital in the city while others were discharged. The team’s bad luck did not end there, as another vehicle in which the accused was taken to the MCH was attacked by another person in an inebriated state. Kottayam Gandhinagar police arrested him.
In the second incident, Peter K, Central station SI, was attacked by a person who created public nuisance in the queue in front of the Bevco outlet on Market Road. Bijil George, 31, a native of Vypeen, was arrested. When the officer asked him to follow the queue system, he assaulted him without provocation. The officer suffered injuries on his hand.The duo was booked for causing public nuisance and preventing the police from carrying out their duty.