Police face constant pressure from seniors to treat criminals in a gentle way.
The attacks by thieves and traffic offenders have apparently pushed the city policemen on the back foot. Some cops have conceded that such acts are having a demoralising effect on them as they work overtime to ensure that there is no law and order problem in the city.
The incident in a residential society in Bibvewadi is the fourth where the policemen were assaulted by criminals. A similar kind of incident occurred on August 8 where three policemen, attached to the Pimpri police station, suffered injuries after being attacked by three thieves.
The incident took place in the wee hours at Ajmera Colony, when these thieves were trying to break into a flat. The injured constables were Ashruba Korpe, Vilas Kekane and Pravin Waje.
“We need to be more aggressive while dealing with such anti-social elements. If such incidents continue, they would have an upper hand and commit crimes without fear of the police,” a policeman said.
However, there is constant pressure from senior police officials to not take the law into their own hands. “Most of the constables and sub-inspectors are in a negative frame of mind, as their seniors pressurise them to work in a polite manner even with goons,” he said.
The policemen recalled how, a few months ago, five constables of Vishrambaug police station were suspended and senior police inspector and police inspector (crime) were transferred for ill-treating a suspect involved in a robbery case at the police station.
The traffic police too are bearing the brunt of attacks by motorists. On July 12, a 25-year-old student, Bhanudas Tambe, allegedly assaulted a traffic constable at Kumbharwada. The constable retaliated and beat up Tambe.
The very next day, a similar incident took place at Dorabji Chowk on Ambedkar Road in Pune Camp when a motorist and a traffic constable had a fight when the former had violated the traffic rules. Later, the deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare, transferred the police constable, Jyotiram More.
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