Police is supposed to protect people from crimes and make them feel safe. Just seeing an officer in uniform is enough to assure one that nothing bad will happen to them.
But something very strange and disturbing is happening in Bangalore where citizens of the state are speaking on social media of the Bangalore police abusing their power.
With hashtags like #AbRokoAbuse, #LathiNahiInsaaf, #powerabusebglr, #NoMoreAbuse, #stoppowerabuse and others being circulated on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the Bangalore police is being accused of being unneccesarily violent and abusing people without just cause.
Two big incidents that are behind this protest is one that occured on 14th February and another that happened on Holi itself.
What Happened?
Till now, there has been nothing official reported and most of it is still limited to Twitter and Instagram.
All the information till yet has been taken from the posts made by people itself, so there is no way to attest their claims.
The first incident happened on 14th February, to a guy named Amogh, who tweeted about it the very next day.
@BlrCityPolice feeling deeply regretful and astounded by the law system that we believe in. I was verbally abused by an ASI for standing on a footpath and waiting for a bus.
— uhh-mogh (@amogh36869608) February 15, 2019
On asking the officer in question so I could have it on record, my phone was snatched out of my hand.
We reached out to his friend who told us about what happened, it all started from Amogh and his female friend standing near a bus stop. When a pink cop car stopped beside them and a female lady officer apparently asked them some very weird questions.
When she started to abuse and say other offensive things, the guy started to record what was happening. On seeing this, the officer got angry, took his phone by force and made him come to the police station to get it.
At the station, as per his friend, he was messed around with, threatened to be hit with a petty case and made to strip and sit on the floor.
His request to call his father for help was also denied and it is said that they even asked for money. After multiple apologies he was allowed to leave and return home.
Till now, no official complaint has been registered against the officer, however, as per my source, it is more because they are afraid of what might happen afterward.
The Holi incident has been reported by various people on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ketchupamrita/status/1109867318396370944
As per multiple accounts, on Holi, allegedly the same female officer, created a ruckus for students playing near the back gate of a prominent college in Bangalore.
Some Holi colour got on her uniform, which could be the cause of her anger, to which she lashed out with abuses and slapping a girl, even using her lathi to threaten people to stop playing.
https://twitter.com/NayanGoyal29/status/1109922381974241280
This person even uploaded a video of the lady police berating another group of young boys.
A lot of people are calling out the Bangalore police for these incidents and asking why no action has been taken and why this was allowed to happen in the first place.
https://twitter.com/suchita_johanna/status/1109862144793866243?s=19
https://twitter.com/oddityunited/status/1109907058374004736?s=19
A policewoman releasing her anger on people trying to peacefully play Holi, is not at all right. People were slapped and hit with lathis. People were verbally abused. Misuse of power shall not be tolerated @BlrCityPolice #LathiNahiInsaaf #AbRokoAbuse #nomoreabuse
— Angelin Benny (@angelin_benny) March 25, 2019
It also seems that the lady cop seems to be the same in all these various incidents.
A lady cop near Christ University Hosur rd was seen abusing her powers by taking students to the police station just for waiting at the bus stop with a friend who happened to be a girl, slapped girls for playing holi in SG Palya & accepting bribes#stoppowerabuse @BlrCityPolice
— Karn (@KarnMohan) March 24, 2019
Created An Avalanche
These two incidents have created a domino effect where other people are also coming out with their own stories and how the Bangalore police seems to be abusing their authority.
This evening, I was walking my friend home (in CL Layout, Adugodi) after college, and naturally we sat on the footpath in front of her PG. We were fined ₹200/- by the police as they said that a boy and a girl sitting together is 'public nuisance'. @BlrCityPolice pic.twitter.com/p8IP2jqeHC
— armaantriestoclick (@mishraarmaan01) July 13, 2018
Unfortunately, nothing new. Have faced similar moral 'police'ing in Belagavi, Karnataka. Where two cops got inside my friend's car who was driving me back home. Since he was a localite they forced us to go to his place and speak to his parents.#AbRokoAbuse #LathiNahiInsaaf https://t.co/HRq15uUVkk
— irrepressible thoughts of death barbie (@youcandothisbis) March 25, 2019
Guys report if anything happens to you… Don't stay silent, if it's happening then the nation needs to know
— Sahil K. Shinoda (@sahil_shinoda) March 25, 2019
The officials needs to know#powerabusebglr
It also concerns the atmosphere of safety, especially the non kannadigas who ain't quite familiar with the local language. Considering the heightened possibility of unlawful behavior, the means to curb it can't be unlawful too.@BlrCityPolice#AbRokoAbuse#LathiNahiInsaaf
— Rishabh (@Rishabh13955784) March 24, 2019
Some people have even created memes and jokes about the SG Palya police and the incidents they have been accused of.
#AbRokoAbuse #LathiNahiInsaaf #NoMoreAbuse #stoppowerabuse #powerabusebglr pic.twitter.com/TBvJCjB4yi
— mega (@megagagagagagag) March 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/sujnanherale/status/1110063950840975360
Police are supposed to help us ughhh#AbRokoAbuse #LathiNahiInsaaf #stoppowerabuse #powerabusebglr #nomorepowerabuse pic.twitter.com/DTqRQGQ67M
— mega (@megagagagagagag) March 25, 2019
So what do you think? Is there something to be concerned about here? Is the Bangalore police abusing their power?
Should they take some action against one of their own and allow the youth to live in peace? Is there even any truth to these claims in the first place? Let us know about in the comments below.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Twitter, Instagram
Find the blogger @chirali_08
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