Oshiwara cops face top brass ire for handling multiplex incident lightly

‘Youth should’ve been arrested for slapping woman in multiplex’

Oshiwara police are feeling the heat of the city police top brass for downplaying the incident of a middle-aged woman slapping a youth in a multiplex, and the young man’s friends roughing up the woman in retaliation.

The incident happened at Cinemax, Versova, on Saturday night. Rashid, the youth, didn’t stand up when the National Anthem was being played before the screening of a movie.

Rizwana, the middle-aged woman, first rebuked him, then slapped him for mouthing obscenities. Rashid was escorted out of the hall, but he stormed back with his friends, some of them women, who beat up Rizwana. Oshiwara police intervened quickly, took statements from both Rashid and Rizwana, and said the mateer was amicably settled.

But DCP Vinay Kumar Choube didn’t take the issue lightly. “I have asked Senior Inspector of Oshiwara KT Sonnone to  inquire into the matter again and report,” he said. “The youth had said that he was suffering from kidney ailment. If it was true, how come he came to the multiplex to watch the movie? Also how come was he so active as to call in his friends and beat up Rizwana.”

Joint Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria said, “I don’t know why the police did not arrest the youth. It’s possible that the lady was scared of being attacked by Rashid and his friends again and chose not to pursue the matter.”