In a recent occurrence, a Bengaluru cop has been accused of stealing a woman’s scooter and then charging her a fee to restore their property. The woman detailed the entire incident in a tweet about how a policeman allegedly stole her sister’s scooter and later accused her of negligence, even charging them a fee. The tweet, which was posted on Thursday, has now gone viral.
Sandhya Ramesh narrated how at 3:30 AM on November 2, the policeman allegedly snuck into their apartment’s parking lot, evaded the guard’s eye, and took the scooter away to Frazer Town depot. When the woman and her sister went to get the scooter released, they were told that the vehicle was found at Ulsoor Lake where someone had tried stealing it. The women were accused of being irresponsible and were charged a “negligence fee” in cash with no receipt. The women were made to wait at the police station for hours during which they were allegedly bullied before they could leave with their vehicle.
So looks like Bangalore police’s new trick is to steal vehicles from apartment parking lots and then charge a fee to get it back. pic.twitter.com/6iJgTHASGL
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) November 2, 2017
“The officers told us the whole time to get a man to handle this, why are two girls roaming around on scooters, that our fee was discounted because we’re girls; for boys, they charge double or triple,” she wrote.
When they went to check the security footage of their apartment, they were shocked to find a policeman keeping an eye out for the guards as he stood by the scooter. The video was posted on Twitter.
That’s him checking on the guards. I have more and from different angles also. pic.twitter.com/KKTgsu2GKY
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) November 2, 2017
The official Twitter handle of DCP Traffic East extended support to the woman, following which, Deputy Commissioner Ajay Hilori posted a tweet defending the actions of the police. In the tweet, Hilori attached a photo of the complaint, giving out the address of the woman.
It was an unlocked abandoned vehicle taken to the custody to prevent theft. After verification vehicle had been released to the owner .
— AJAY HILORI, IPS (@DCPEASTBCP) November 4, 2017
TAKE THIS DOWN! WHY ARE YOU TWEETING OUT MY ADDRESS??? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) November 4, 2017
Following her initial tweet, others started blaming the Bengaluru police for their misdemeanour, which apparently, is a common problem.
Most bizarre thing i have seen. But Bengaluru police is very capable of such stuff going by what some friends have experienced in the past.
— (@varungrover) November 2, 2017
Happened to me 5 years back, in Tippsandra.
— Praveen (@Pravmaga) November 2, 2017
They ask your family name etc cuz they’re gauging your financial net worth- based on which they ‘charge’ you!
Usually they ask pay details
— Chirantan (@DiaQuery) November 2, 2017
Police force is nothing but an organised and legalised mafia
— Nithesh (@mlessp) November 2, 2017
It’s the damn parking contractors everywhere. Had to ask an actual traffic policeman to intervene to get my vehicle for no fault of mine.
— confused.dork (@Mridll) November 2, 2017
2012, have paid a ‘negligence’ fee of Rs 500, was called “avoid petty case” fee then.
— Ravish Bhambore L (@ravishbhambore) November 2, 2017
Is this the kind of behaviour we expect from our law enforcement?
