Cops recount their ordeal in the line of duty

A day after traffic constable Vilas Shinde breathed his last, Anis Mulla, a constable at the Worli police station for the last three years, has come forward to share his own difficult experience, stating that he was similarly attacked a month ago.

A group of three youngsters reportedly hit Mulla while he was on patrol duty at night. An FIR was filed against the accused but they are out on bail now. "Such incidents are quite common with us, but no one cares. Shinde's attackers should get the worst punishment possible," he added.

Swapnil Dere, constable at the Worli police station, said, "We follow instructions from our seniors. If someone is angry with the way things are, they should complain to the seniors – the ones who make the laws. What is the point of hitting us?"

Both cops agreed that fear was not the answer, and increasing the number of weapons they handled would serve no purpose. "We don't want to scare people. We only want them to cooperate with us."

Wives concerned

Swapnali Narendra Palakar (36) has a daily scare – whether her husband will return or not. He has been working with the police force for the last 26 years. She doubts that things will ever change for them. "It seems there is no law and order. If the police only are getting attacked, what is left to say? In Shinde's case as well, there is no guarantee that the culprits will get punished."

Vandana Pawar, whose husband has been serving in the force for the last 35 years, said no one cared about the policemen. "No one will send their child to join the police force anymore," she said. But she insisted that Shinde's was the last such incident. As a member of the Maharashtra Police Patni Group, she said wives of the city policemen will fight to ensure that such an incident was never repeated.