The teenage years are notorious for being the rebel period in a person’s life. Every restriction set by our parents feels like a new challenge to be thwarted at the earliest. Honestly, did we even know why we had half the fights we had with our moms and dads? Getting over that phase is a major relief for both us and the ones who’ve had the misfortune of having to clean up our mess.
With age, technically, we are supposed to get over this rebellious phase and learn to pick and choose our battles. However, some of us never do. And with no fair godmothers looking out for us, this usually means that we finally get a taste of what’s been coming for us.
One smart dude in Bengaluru decided that he’s going to show off his inner rebel to the worst possible person he could have done that to.
A 24-year-old employee at a digital wallet company, Chandan, decided to toy with both his health and the law by smoking in public. Just his luck, he happened to do so while the arch nemesis of smokers, sub-inspector Thimmaraju, was passing by.
To give you a little brief about the anti-smoke cop, he has collected a record number of fines collected under the COPTA Act of 2003 (the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution)).
Anyhow, when Thimmaraju saw Chandan smoking away in front of Sri Bhrahmashri Condiments in Jayanagar 9th block, he wasn’t about to let him off without a fine.
Chandan, however, took this as an opportunity to fight for his non-existent public smoking rights. Instead of paying the fine of ₹200, he got into an argument with the cop asking “where else can I smoke but on the road?”.
Ummm… just don’t, maybe?
Things got worse for Chandan when in the heated moment, he pushed the cop who was pointing at a No Smoking sign. An investigating officer says:
“Chandan pushed the SI when he pointed toward the ` No Smoking’ sign and the SI fell down on the road. He sustained injuries on his leg and started bleeding.”
Not one to take this attack on him lightly, the cop immediately summoned a patrolling vehicle. Well, you can guess the rest. Chandan was taken away to the Tilaknagar police station, where he was booked under IPC 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and IPC 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and a few others.
What should’ve ended with a ₹200 fine, turned into a ₹25,000 bail.
The Bangalore Mirror, quote a police official speaking of Thimmaraju as such:
“Thimmaraju has collected the highest number of fines from smokers caught violating the COTPA Act. In 2017, he collected fines amounting to Rs 2 lakh and this year, till date, he has collected Rs 1.6 lakh in fines.”
As for the super cop, he says he hates smoking since it’s one of the worst habits one can get addicted to. Chandan’s parents apologising to the cop did not do much good as the damage had already been done. He is now out on court bail and has been instructed to mark his attendance at the Tilaknagar police station, two times a month until the final report is filed.
Well, I guess he learned his lesson. Probably. Maybe. Point is, don’t mess with Thimmaraju.