DINDIGUL: We may all envy seeing important dignitaries, especially uniformed officers, riding in big cars installed with red and blue beacons. The siren sounds would make heads turn and other road users to pave way for such cars.
But a 40-year-old man from Chennai took this simple wish to the next level by masquerading as a police officer and riding in a siren installed car. He landed in trouble when the Pattiveeranpatti police caught him near Batlagundu on Sunday evening.
According to police sources, the man was identified as one C Vijayan of Kolathur in Chennai. Based on a tip-off that an unidentified man was roaming in a siren fixed car in a suspicious manner, Pattiveeranpatti police laid a trap for him at the toll gate near Batlagundu. The car, which had a beacon and a sign saying ‘Police’, was coming towards Dindigul from Theni. When it neared the toll gate, the police team intercepted the car and questioned Vijayan. The latter introduced himself as an Assistant Commissioner of Police from Chennai and had tried to intimidate the policemen, sources said. He was also carrying an ID and a handgun to corroborate his story, they added.
However, the police team took him to the Pattiveeranpatti station for inquiry and also seized the vehicle and the gun. Both the ID and the gun were found to be fake, the police added. They also found that using the fake identity, Vijayan has been allegedly travelling to other States as well. He also visited several temples in Kerala and received special treatment there by posing as a police officer from Tamil Nadu, they further added. Vijayan was produced before Nilakottai judicial magistrate and was remanded to judicial custody on Monday night, sources said.