Truck driver brutally beaten up by police

PUNE, May 27: His back is a mass of bruises and chest is no different. A six centimetre long and wide red welt stands out on his left should...

PUNE, May 27: His back is a mass of bruises and chest is no different. A six centimetre long and wide red welt stands out on his left shoulder. And he winces in pain while trying to put his feet on the ground.

For 37-year-old Bhimashankar Sontakke is an alleged victim of police brutality committed in full public view and at police chowky at Nigdi. The slim-built Sontakke, a truck driver, was manoeuvering the vehicle laden with empty barrels onto the Mumbai-Pune highway at Nigdi when he was intercepted by a traffic constable.

"The constable (who called himself Potpule, batch 1179) asked me step out of the vehicle. Even as I was coming out, the constable told me that the sides of vehicle are open and both the height and weight of the stacked material were in excess of that permitted," Sontakke recalls.

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He adds: "I questioned the constable as to how he could decide that the height and weight are violating the rules. Besides that I pointed out to him that stacked material were empty barrels coveredwith tarpaulin on all sides and fastened with thick ropes."

The constable, Sontakke alleges, was not ready to listen and demanded Rs 200 as "entry" (supposed to be price for hushing up in police jargon).

"When I requested him to call the owner of the truck and settle the matter, the constable began bad-mouthing me and raining fist blows. He dragged me to Nigdi police chowky where four other constables pounced on me and began beating me with belts and canes," alleged Sonatakke even as screamed in pain at the Yeshwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital at Pimpri.

Doctors at the hospital confirmed that Sontakke suffered from multiple abrasions and contusions on chest, back and arms. The doctors conceded that the injuries where inflicted with wooden sticks and fists and even leather belts.