Five friends, including two women, were allegedly assaulted by three policemen at the Vasant Square Mall in Vasant Kunj on Thursday night. the Delhi Police on Friday evening sent an Assistant Sub-Inspector and a Head Constable to district lines in connection with the incident and an enquiry has been initiated into the matter.
One of the victims, Rajesh Kumar, said, “That he went to the basement of the Vasant Square Mall at 7.30 pm with two male and two female friends when three police personnel came and started interrogating us. They abused us, thrashed us and started searching our bags. They left the girls when we asked about lady constable,” he said. “They kept torturing us for an hour, brought us to the beatbox and made us write an application on their terms . They kept our bag which had laptop and other belongings,” he added. The victims alleged that cops were drunk.
A senior police officer said, “The victims alleged that that on being asked why were they questioned like criminals, the three policemen including an ASI and Head Constable started hurling abuses at them. The victims further alleged that on raising objections, the police thrashed them and threatened them, asking not to argue. They claimed that the police also started searching their bags without permission. However, the complaint mentioned that when they objected to the physical checking of women accompanying them, in absence of the women police, the cops asked the two women to leave. They further said that the trio brought them into a beatbox built in front of the mall and made them write an application in their words, following an hour-long torture and harassment,” a senior police officer confirmed.
The victims further alleged that the cops even seized their bags which had laptops and other valuables, adding that all the three policemen were in uniform and in an inebriated state when the incident took place.
Reacting to the incident, DCP south-west, Milind Dumbere said that primary investigation revealed that the conduct of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Bijender and Head Constable Manvir has been found to be inappropriate and both have been sent to district lines. “The matter was enquired by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vasant Kunj, and is being further probed. Further action will be taken accordingly, if need be,” added Dumbere.