A traffic constable was on Wednesday suspended for slapping a man, an incident that comes in the wake of a series of activities where cops were caught on the wrong side of law.
In the last few days there have been incidents where Patna police have been charged with extorting money from fruit-sellers, slapping a commuter for not following traffic rules and forcefully entering houses at Rajiv Nagar.
Traffic constable Uday Prakash, who was on duty near Novelty Sweets at Hanuman Nagar, spotted a man parking his four-wheeler on the wrong side. The cop asked the person to shift his vehicle from the no-parking zone. On the issue, an altercation followed between them and the cop slapped the man four times for not following his directives.
The incident, incidentally, was video-graphed and uploaded on the social media by a passerby. Taking cognisance of the incident the Patna police suspended the cop. Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj said: 'When we came to know about the incident, we decided to suspend Prakash.'
The Patna police took action against the cop after the video went viral. The police, sources say, took the decision as part of its image makeover plan because in the past couple of days there have been involvement of the police in extorting money from people.
On Monday, the Patna police suspended four cops, including a sub-inspector-rank officer on charges of extorting money from a fruit-seller on September 10 night.
Sub-inspector Vidhya Nand Yadav, two constables Mohammed Naushad Alam, Moti Ram and driver Virendra Kumar of Gandhi Maidan police station were patrolling. At Jamal Road the cops threatened fruit-seller Sudhir Kumar and took away Rs 2,300 from him. On Monday, Sudhir filed a complaint at Maharaaj's office.
Based on Sudhir's complaint, four cops were suspended and forwarded to jail.
Sudhir said: 'I was shocked when policemen on duty threatened me and looted money from me.'
Apart from the two incidents, residents of Rajiv Nagar and Digha are in a shock after the September 5 incident. The Patna police and officials of the district administration had to face public fury when they had gone to drive out illegal encroachment in Rajiv Nagar.
Ram Bhajan Singh Yadav, an elderly residing in Digha, said: 'Ever since the September 5 incident, police from Digha and Rajiv Nagar carry out raids and torture people. The cops enter the houses at night asking residents whether they were part of the September 5 violence. We are living in fear.'
D. Amarkesh, the Patna SP (Central), said: 'Such incidents bring bad name to the police. But in the Gandhi Maidan case it was the patrolling party from Kotwali police station at Dak Bungalow roundabout who helped the fruit-seller and escorted him to the Gandhi Maidan police station. There is also a grievance redressal cell where people can file complaints. Also the SSP and City SP meets people at their janata durbars to take care of such complaints.'
However, a station house officer said: 'People only remember the strict actions of the police but never acknowledge the good that we do. They forget we ensure citizens' safety also.'
