It was the Pune-Ahmednagar state highway where constable Vishnu Phatangade's brother Rahul was lynched on the first day of last year in Bhima-Koregaon. On Tuesday, Vishnu set aside his personal loss as he stood guard for the safety of those visiting the site.
Rahul was the lone deceased in the Bhima-Koregaon violence on January 1. The turn of events prompted authorities to deploy heavy security in and around the village this time. Attached to the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad of Pune rural police, Vishnu kept taking rounds of the highway. He had been tasked with checking any suspicious object.
Over 8 lakh people visited Bhima-Koregaon on Tuesday, said officials.
Had Vishnu decided to skip work to observe his brother's first death anniversary, his superiors would not have rejected his leave application. "It was quite an emotional decision for me to be present on the duty today. However, considering the importance of police presence at Koregaon-Bhima, I decided to observe my brother's first death anniversary later," Vishnu told DNA.
This is not the first time Vishnu has overcome emotions to give preference to duty. "It was only on the third day of my brother's murder, I had joined the duty," he said.
Remembering his 25-year-old sibling, Vishnu said, "My brother was my biggest support. It was he who had taken me to a police recruitment drive and I became the police constable. I owe my entire career to him."
Vishnu is now preparing for the Maharashtra Public Service Examination. "After my brother's death, I have the entire responsibility of my mother who stays alone at our village. I am preparing for MPSC with the hope that I will get a better service so that I can look after my mother and wife."
‘He was my biggest support’
- Vishnu said his brother was his biggest support. It was he who had taken him to a police recruitment drive
- He said he cleared the test and became a police constable. “I owe my entire career to him.”
- Vishnu said he is now preparing for the Maharashtra Public Service Examination and hopes to get a better job
- He said the entire responsibility of the family now rests on him. “I hope I will clear MPSC so that I can look after my mother and wife well.”
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