Pol promises justice to trader 'assaulted' by constable

Police commissioner Gulabrao Pol on Thursday assured the traders community that strict action would be taken against the traffic constable who allegedly assaulted a 40-year-old trader on Friday in Hadapsar.

Incidentally, the trader Ranjit Rajpurohit and his brother Ravindra (36), both residents of Undri, are lodged in Yerawada Central Jail after they were arrested by Wanowrie police for attempt to murder on a complaint filed by traffic constable Vaibhav Suresh Lonkar (32) of Hadapsar traffic division.

As per Lonkar’s complaint, Ranjit tried to run his tempo over him at Kale Padal in Hadapsar around 7 pm on Friday. Lonkar stated that he was manning the traffic at railway crossing number 6 and had directed Ranjit to move his  tempo from the place. However, Ranjit allegedly tried to run over Lonkar with the tempo. Lonkar also accused Ranjit of abusing and manhandling him.

On the other hand, Ranjit accused Lonkar of assaulting him with the help of a ‘fighter’ till he became unconscious. He went to Hadapsar police station with his brother to lodge a complaint against Lonkar but they were asked to approach Wanowrie police station.

The Wanowrie police summoned Lonkar but instead of registering FIR against him, they arrested Rajpurohit brothers.
On Saturday, when they were produced before the Cantonment court of judicial magistrate (first class) Jyoti Kotnis, Rajpurohits’ lawyers Bilal Shaikh and Afroz Shaikh complained of ill treatment by Lonkar.

The magistrate sent Ranjit to Sassoon hospital for medical examination and then remanded them in judicial custody. On Tuesday, the medical report was submitted and the court ordered superintendent of Yerawada Central Jail to seize Ranjit’s blood-stained clothes and keep them in their custody till further orders.

Lawyer Shaikh said, “On Ranjit’s complaint, the Wanowrie police have only registered a non-cognisable offence stating that he was thrashed when he was passing through the area. However, the medical report has stated that he was assaulted with blunt and hard object. His nose was fractured and face swollen. He was not given water and kept in police lock up in injured condition.”