Shockingly, API Satish Wayal even hauled the correspondent by the collar to Borivli police station
API Satish Wayal who assaulted mid-day’s correspondent (left) Wayal’s private car with a policeman’s cap on the dashboard in Borivli, on Saturday. Pics/Shirish Vaktania
Drunk on power, a cop from Kurar police station turned into a ruffian when a mid-day correspondent took photos of his private car parked on a busy road blocking a senior citizen’s vehicle in Borivli. Our extensive reports cites how he threatened to frame the reporter in a robbery case and called journalists ‘extortionists’.
Shockingly, API Satish Wayal even hauled the correspondent by the collar to Borivli police station. He beat a retreat and apologised only after a top cop intervened.
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Chaos had ensued on the road where the journalist took pictures. When the cop was informed of this by a colleague, there was mayhem with the cop screaming and taking him to the police station. The cop also tried to snatch his cell phone. The matter was resolved at the police station.
While the entire furore seemed to be over, it is outrageous that a police officer, who is in the wrong, manhandled a reporter. If he was irked in some way by the journalist’s actions, and he should not have been, there is space for dialogue and proper discussion.
This is bullying and intimidation by the police designed to stop the press from doing their job.
We live in a democracy where the Fourth Estate has the full right to report and do so in a fair, just and, most importantly, fearless manner.
There needs to be action against this officer who has manhandled the reporter, screaming and completely out of control. We want some statements from the top brass. We want explanations about why exactly this happened and how there can simply be no follow up after a tepid apology and that too, only post intervention.
This is shameful to say the least. To see our men in uniform lose it and collar a professional journalist is appalling, and the message this episode has sent out is they can get away with gundagardi. We want answers and action, not band-aid apologies.
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