'I fainted, don't remember who beat me up'

BHAGALPUR: The sight of khaki evokes fear in most parts in India but in Bhagalpur, where 31 undertrial prisoners were blinded by policemen in 1980, the cops are particularly dreaded. A day after he was beaten to pulp for a failed chain-snatching bid — with disturbing images of the violence telecast nationwide — Salim was too scared to speak out against his uniformed tormentors.
Although the two Bhagalpur policemen allegedly involved in the incident have been suspended, senior police officers are at pains denying the duo's involvement and blaming "the public" for the thief's injuries.Their defence was strengthened when Salim said on Wednesday morning that he had lost consciousness while being beaten and, therefore, doesn't remember what happened later.
On Tuesday, TV channels had shown Salim being beaten by a mob and then being tied to a policeman's motorcycle which dragged him some distance even as Salim writhed in pain. This had followed his chain-snatching attempt on one Shanti Devi.
Meanwhile, suspended ASI LB Singh and constable Ramchandra Rai, who were earlier asked to report at the Bhagalpur police lines, have been sent to Sheikhpura police lines.
"It has been done in the interest of the justice... to ensure fair probe into the case," Bhagalpur SP Jitendra Singh Gangwar said on Wednesday afternoon. Amid reports of vested interests trying to incite communal passion following the incident, DM Vipin Kumar appealed to the people against paying heed to rumours.