'Cop not guilty in Manipuri woman’s case'

Basavanagudi police are standing by the traffic constable who reportedly manhandled a woman on Wednesday evening for causing a traffic jam.

Swar Thounajam, 32, a city-based playwright who hails from Manipur, has accused traffic constable Krishnamurthy of assaulting her. At 7.15 pm on Wednesday, a two-wheeler bumped into her car from behind when she was at DVG Road junction. She got down from the car and an altercation took place with the erring driver. This resulted in traffic jam. She has alleged that when all this was happening, Krishnamurthy pushed and dragged her, ridiculed her for not knowing Kannada and punched her.

When DNA contacted Basavanagudi police station, the official answering the call said that in the incident, it was Thounajam who was clearly at fault, as she caused a massive traffic jam. This is why, he said, people and the constable became agitated. About Thounajam’s charges against Krishnamurthy, the official said the constable was just doing his duty and that is why no action has been taken against him.

However, Thounajam claims the inspector of the police station has assured her that an inquiry would be held into the issue. She said she had clicked pictures of the incident and has handed them over to the inspector to punish the guilty.

Her FIR states that when a two-wheeler rider hit her car, she got down to check the damage. She demanded compensation from the driver, who abused her. Soon, other people joined in abusing her. Traffic constable Krishnamurthy intervened, but when Thounajam sought to explain the situation to him, he—in a rough tone—asked her to speak in Kannada. He reportedly said that she does not belong to Bangalore if she does not know Kannada, hence she won’t get any help. The constable pushed her and when she resisted, he dragged her, before punching her in the arm.