2 Oshiwara cops suspended for allegedly not cooperating with complainants

Mumbai police suspended two officers and launched an inquiry against five others for mishandling complaints following a community clash.

MUMBAI: The Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone 9), Mumbai, suspended two Oshiwara police officers on Friday and launched an inquiry against five others for allegedly not following the law and tarnishing the image of the police while tackling two complaints.

2 Oshiwara cops suspended for allegedly not cooperating with complainants

According to the police, the first complaint came after a clash between members of two communities on Friday in Anand Nagar. A group from a certain community allegedly assaulted a shopkeeper belonging to a different community. The workers of a youth wing of a political party, who were in favour of the shopkeeper, reached the Oshiwara police station after the clash, demanding action against the alleged assaulters.

Simultaneously, a woman approached the police with a molestation complaint against a separate person who belonged to the same community who attacked the shopkeeper. Even though this was a separate incident, the political party’s workers demanded that the police take quick action against implicated members of the other community.

Oshiwara police station’s senior police inspectors later held discussions with the party workers and allegedly assured them appropriate action would be taken as per the rules. However, the party workers remained at the station’s premises, demanding instant police action. The party workers alleged that the police were not cooperating with them regarding the complaints. An inquiry was then launched against seven officers, including assistant police inspectors as well as constables, to verify if they misbehaved with the party workers instead of following proper procedures as per law to deal with the complaints.

The five other officers at Oshiwara police station were asked to submit a written explanation of the incident within seven days.