23 Mar 2017 | 07:58pm IST
20-year-old student complains of assault and arrest for asking policemen a simple question
Spent a night in jail, after going to Mapusa PS to pay his friend’s traffic fine; says was slapped by PSI and assaulted by 15 policemen for asking, 'since when were cops issuing traffic challans on the St Xavier’s college road'; complaint filed at SPCA
PANJIM: Jisam Abdul Salam, a second year commerce student of a Mapusa college was brutally assaulted and jailed for asking Mapus police a simple query.
Salam filed a complaint at the State Police Complaint’s Authority (SPCA) on Wednesday, stating that he had gone to Mapusa police station on behalf of a friend to pay the latter’s traffic fine of Rs 400 and was detained at Police Station on March 14 evening, when the Parrikar government was sworn in.
According to him he was first slapped by a PSI and assaulted by almost 15 police personnel at the Police Station because he asked the police ‘since when they had started issuing challans on the college road’.
“I asked in curiosity as cops were earlier not issuing any challan on that particular road,” Salam told Herald. He said that he had only asked the police this, when infuriated policemen started arguing further.
“I questioned them as there was no offence for the fine mentioned on the challan issued to my friend,” he said and added, “The law should be equal to all and why is there no one issuing fines now to persons without helmet?”
“After I asked the question, for almost two hours they (cops) assaulted me at the police station and later in a dark room,” Salam told Herald, which is also mentioned in the complaint to SPCA.
Salam has accused Police Sub Inspector Paresh Ramnathkar who was station in-charge for assaulting him first which was followed by other cops on duty. Police also arrested Salam in an allegedly false case as per the complaint.
The 20-year-old student, who has just emerged from the trauma due to the police torture also spent a night in jail for no reason and was bailed out by his mother next morning. “It was not only the assault, but the filthy and abusive language which Goa Police personnel used that made me sick,” he said.
Salam has pleaded before SPCA to initiate an inquiry and take appropriate disciplinary action against the PSI. “I believe in the judiciary system of this country and such officers should be dealt with and there should be appropriate rules to stop them from continuing such acts,” Salam said.
Mapusa Police Inspector Rajendra Prabhudesai said Salam was arrested for obstructing a public servant while on duty, and due procedures were followed while arresting him. He didn’t comment on the allegations against the Police.
