Most of us go out late at night to celebrate the surprise birthday of our close ones as the clock strikes 12. But imagine you’re returning after attending a friend’s cake-cutting ceremony at night with your partner and you’re asked to pay a hefty fine by cops for roaming out after 11 PM. You would be appalled, right?
This is exactly what happened with this couple from Bengaluru.
Taking to Twitter, a man named Karthik Patri shared his ordeal via a lengthy thread. He goes on to share that when they were returning home after celebrating a friend’s birthday, two men in police uniforms asked these adults why they were walking on the street so late.
We were a few metres away from our entrance gate when a pink Hoysala patrol van stopped by us. Two men in police uniforms asked us to show our ID cards. We were taken aback. Why should an adult couple walking on the street on a normal day be asked to show their ID cards? (2/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
The cops asked for their ID cards, confiscated their phones, and started questioning them. They also took out the challan book to fine the couple.
Though a bit shaken, we answered their questions politely. At this point, one of them took out what looked like a challan book and started noting down our names and Aadhaar numbers. Sensing trouble, we asked why we were being issued a challan. (4/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
“You are not allowed to roam on the road after 11 pm” is the reason the cops gave them for the interrogation. Taken aback by this, the couple asked, “Is there such a rule? We are unaware of it.” To this, the cops replied, “Literate people like you should know about such rules.”
Although not convinced, we decided to back down. It was late in the night; our phones had been confiscated; there was no help in sight; and the least we wanted was a confrontation with two policemen. (6/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
Since it was too late and with no help in sight, the couple decided to not indulge in any verbal spat with the cops. But the cops refused to let them go without paying Rs 3000 as a fine because they were roaming late at night.
It was clear as day that the two men (tragic if they were indeed policemen) were out to con unsuspecting civilians, and we ended up being their victims. We literally begged them to let us go, but they wouldn’t budge. (8/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
Karthik thinks the cops were waiting for this golden opportunity to con civilians. The more the couple pleaded, the more they harassed them. They even threatened the couple with dire consequences if they didn’t pay the money.
They showed us pictures of convicts and threatened us of dire consequences if we didn’t pay up. I could barely hold my nerve, while my wife was in tears. Perhaps realizing that they had pushed a woman too far and fearing the legal consequences, they changed tack. (10/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
After exploiting them, the cops called Karthik and asked him to settle the matter for Rs 1000. On watching his wife anxious, he decided to pay and leave ASAP.
I agreed to pay Rs 1,000 and get done with it. The man immediately held up a PayTM QR code, waited for me to scan it and make the payment, and let us ago with a stern warning: “If I and my wife are ever seen walking on road at midnight, they would register a strong case…(12/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
They even warned the couple that if they were seen roaming around again at night then they would make a strong complaint against them. This incident traumatized the couple and shook their faith in the cops of the country.
My humble questions to the Bengaluru City Police @BlrCityPolice :
Is this not terrorism, is this not legalized torture?
Is this how honest, low-abiding citizens of this land are meant to be treated?(14/15)
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
Aware that this is a planned robbery, Karthik decided to get back at the cops and shared everything online asking the Bengaluru City Police to take action in the matter.
If the protectors of law themselves break the law and prey on hapless citizens, whom do we turn to? (15/15)
@CPBlr @PoliceBangalore— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 9, 2022
After his story reached millions of people online, the cops sprung to action and got hold of the two policemen involved in the incident. They were immediately suspended and an internal inquiry was initiated.
citizens. It has been truly cathartic. If it were not for a powerful platform of self-expression like Twitter, our voices would not have resonated beyond the four walls of our society. So thank you, @Twitter. We are also pained to read about similar experiences in …
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 11, 2022
On hearing his plight, many other people also shared similar stories of being conned by policemen in Bengaluru.
the comments. My request to them is to speak it out, whether among your community or on social media. Bring it to the attention of the right officials. If it has worked for me, it could work for you. Satyameva Jayathe!
— Karthik Patri (@Karthik_Patri) December 11, 2022
These cases are actually on the rise these days, police should look into such matters because if the police department is full of such culprits how can we trust them ?? There should be something like quick so that if you come across such an issue! we can get them
— Swati Kumari (@theswati15) December 11, 2022
Now days such cases happens in Mumbai And Pune also , Police are the new mafiyas and terrorist.. Request you not to take a back and don’t pardon the terrorist policemen.. take strong action they should be terminated from there service else they will go on higher level with other
— Amit Kamble (@AmitKam94046338) December 12, 2022
This is pathetic coming from two men who are levied with the responsibility of protecting the civilians. We hope this incident serves as an example that you can’t fool around with people, especially in the era of social media.