PANAJI
Two policemen attached to the Ponda police ststion were suspended late Friday night on charges of brutally assaulting a youth after a brawl at Kodar-Khandepar.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Chetan Patil said the police department has strongly condemned the assault.
“On the occasion of Holi festival, the two cops were on duty at Kodar. After a petty altercation, a youth was assaulted by the two. Following an inquiry by the department, the two policemen were immediately suspended late Friday night,” said DySP Patil while speaking to the media.
The victim, Mahesh Jaiswal (24), showed multiple bruises on his swollen back to media persons.
Jaiswal told reporters that he, along with four friends, was at the Kodar River enjoying Holi on Friday evening, when the incident happened. He said the cops were initially in civil clothes.
He said the two returned in uniform and started assaulting them with lathis. They were later taken to the Ponda police station in a police van.
The youths lodged a complaint against two constables, Rama Khanekar and Omkar Mankar, but the cops denied having assaulted them.
Acting on the victim’s complaint, Ponda police late Friday night registered an offence against two police constables and they were immediately placed under suspension.
Meanwhile, in another incident related to Holi celebration, Ponda police arrested a youth, Shubham Yedvi of Curti-Ponda, on charges of misbehaving with a police sub-inspector under the influence of alcohol.
