Jamshedpur, May 24: Treat criminals to a hearty meal or pay a much heavier price ? a city resident learnt this ?simple? lesson yesterday.
Sanjay Anand refused to give in to the demands of local criminals of Kasidih, under Sakchi police station, and ended up in the surgical ward of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital.
He also lost his salary packet, which he received yesterday and a gold chain in the incident.
Hospital authorities said the 26-year-old man was brought to the hospital in the wee hours today in an unconscious state. Anand, who was spotted on the roadside by some passersby, was bleeding profusely.
Doctors attending on Anand said after coming round, the youth was hardly in a position to speak or eat as his tongue was damaged and needed surgery.
Later, Anand ? an employee of a local cloth store ? revealed that it is a common practice to treat criminals on pay day or get thrashed. Even if one earns Rs 1,000 a month, he/she has to spend a fraction of it on the goons. It is almost like a monthly fee for salaried people.
?Last evening, after taking my salary (Rs 2,000), I was going towards my house when three youths ? Papu, Pintu and Popat ? intercepted me near Bharat Transport and asked for the monthly feast, which I refused,? Anand recalled.
According to the victim, the three youths then started beating him. ?They told me ? ?when you have the courage to refuse us, you should also face the consequence? ? and they thrashed me started beating me up. They also snatched my salary packet,? he said.
Anand alleged that Sakchi police initially refused to lodge a complaint. ?When the three goons saw me coming out of the police station, they caught hold of me again and thrashed me so much that I became unconscious. When I gained consciousness, I was in the hospital,? he added.
Some residents of Kasidih, who have faced similar situations in the past for refusing to treat the goons, confirmed the ?practice?.
Deputy superintendent of police S.K. Kujur said he will ensure that the culprits are arrested at the earliest.
