Harshad Jadav

AHMEDABAD: A 40-year-old man from Amraiwadi, who was rounded up by local police for allegedly assaulting a policeman on December 29, registered an FIR with Amraiwadi police for assault and under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.He has alleged that he was forced to lick the shoes of policemen at the police station.

According to Amraiwadi police, Harshad Jadav, 40, a resident of Saibaba Nagar Society, Amraiwadi, repairs TV sets for a living.

His complaint states that there was a crowd and a commotion at the Saibaba Temple near his residence on December 29 and he went out to ask about what had happened.

“The person he asked turned out to be a constable who instead quarrelled with him. The cop, later identified as Vinodbhai Babubhai , then hit him with his acrylic baton. Jadav hurt his finger while trying to parry the strikes. When his wife and mother intervened, they were manhandled and abused by the accused and others. All three were taken to the police station and Jadav was put in the lock-up, on charges of assaulting a police official,” said an official.

Jadav’ states that Vinod and other policemen brought him out of the lock-up in the afternoon and asked him his caste. He was told to apologize to Vinod by touching his feet. When he bent down said sorry, the senior officials told him to lick Vinod’s shoes and those of all the policemen, about 15, present there.

He was then forced to do so and was sent back to the lock-up after that.

Jadav was taken to the LG Hospital for a medical check up, where the injury to his finger was found to be a fracture. He was threatened to not speak about the incident or injury and was produced in a court. He says he did not reveal anything to the judge because of the threats made, the FIR says. Jadav states that his wife, who was also manhandled, was in pain the day after and was also taken to a hospital.

Ashokkumar Yadav, additional commissioner of police, Sector II, told TOI that Jadav’s complaint has been registered. “The case is being investigated to ascertain the facts,” he said.

