LUCKNOW: Reckless act of a sub-inspector generated a lot of flak for city police on Saturday. Thousands of online users from all over the country, expressed anguish over photographs in which sub-inspector Pradeep Kumar, posted in Hazratganj police station was seen misbehaving with an elderly man. The victim, 65-year-old Krishna Kumar is seen in the pictures standing with folded hands trying to plead his case with the cop.

Support for Kumar and call for punishment against the cop, poured in from all over the country. Actress Parineeti Chopra, film critic Rajeev Masand and former VJ and comic artist Jose Covaco retweeted the overwhelming images that went viral on social media.

All Kumar wanted was that the Rs 5,000 worth typewriter survives wrath of the cop. But that did not happen. “He was violent and kept abusing us. I said, I would not sit near the cycle track in the future and to forgive me this time. My requests did not work. He threw the typewriter on the road and kicked it several times,” said Kumar.

Kumar resides near Patrakarpuram in Gomtinagar along with wife, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Kumar’s son runs a roadside grocery store. The family of five survives on less than Rs 10,000 a month. Kumar makes about Rs 70 to 100 a day and had spent three decades typing applications, letters and affidavits near General Post Office.
Officiating in charge of secretariat police outpost, Pradeep ran riot for 20 minutes around noon near GPO in Hazratganj. Along with a constable Pradeep reached DSO chauraha (near Rajbhawan and GPO building) on motorcycle and within moments of getting off the bike, went on the rampage.
Pradeep knocked down a utensil filled with milk and scattered eatables the tea vendor had kept on road. Kumar had bought the typewriter three years back for Rs 5,000 in exchange of the old one. He is senior most among five typists who sit near GPO. “Everyone gathered in my support. Men in uniform have no regard for the poor,” added Kumar.

Though it was not clear what prompted Pradeep to react in this manner, two theories were doing the rounds. Pradeep wanted to extort more money from roadside vendors or had been pulled up for allowing vendors to encroach over cycle tracks. As per sources, VIP movement was scheduled around the stretch and Pradeep wanted to clear it.

source: thehindu