Heartless cops suspended

KOLKATA: An assistant sub-inspector and a police driver have been suspended for breaking service rules during the accident on BT Road on Thursday afternoon. Both are from the wireless branch of Kolkata Police. Joint CP (headquarters) Jawed Shamim has confirmed the suspension.
On Thursday afternoon, these two police personnel, along with two constables, were in a wireless van.They allegedly chased down a car and forced its driver to stop near Kantakal campus at Cossipore on BT Road. The wireless officer who was not entitled to prosecute any vehicle, allegedly accused the car driver of carrying books in a passenger vehicle and threatened to impose a fine' for violation of rules.
The officer allegedly harassed the driver and the occupant of the car. While he was engaged in an argument with the cop, the passenger opened the right rear door of the car, unaware that a motorcycle was approaching from behind. The door hit the motorcycle's pillion rider Nimai Ghosh, who fell on the road and sustained serious injuries on his head despite wearing a helmet. The two policemen who were present at the spot left instead of shifting the injured man to a hospital. He later died at RG Kar Hospital.
Locals alleged that they had repeatedly asked the policemen to arrange a vehicle to shift the injured. But they did not bother. The locals even lodged a complaint with Cossipore police station.
Following the incident, senior officers had ordered an inquiry. The probe questioned the car's passenger, Ranjit Chakraborty, an employee of a publishing house. His statement was most important as he was the key witness. During interrogation, Chakraborty reportedly told police that the policemen in the wireless van stopped their car and accused him of violating traffic rules. They even seized some documents of the car and allegedly demanded a fine', he said.
Shamim said a wireless van can intercept a vehicle if it finds any irregularity. But, they must inform the traffic department or local police. They can also seize documents after informing either authority. But they are not empowered to impose a fine, he said.
"During the probe we found that the accused policemen did not contact either the traffic department or the local police station about the car they had intercepted, which raised questions about their intention. So we have decided to suspend the officer and the driver as the eyewitness said they were the culprits. Though there were two other constables in the jeep, they were not involved in any wrongdoing," said a senior officer.