In yet another incident, which has stained the khakhi uniform, a police constable from Mumbai police, under the alleged influence of alcohol, assaulted a woman and abused her in full public view over an incident of road rage in Andheri (east) on Monday evening. Soon after the incident, joint commissioner of police, law and order, Deven Bharti who is in charge of all the police stations in Mumbai, suspended the constable.
According to the Powai police, the incident occurred at around 7.30 pm on the Marol Maroshi road in Andheri (east) in Powai police’s jurisdiction on Monday. The police constable is said to be a 30-year-old identified as Pravin Nalavde who was traveling on his bike. He is posted at the Andheri police station.
Nalavde is said to have been under the influence of alcohol, a development confirmed by a senior police official. Nalavade and the rickshaw in which the victim was traveling were moving in the same direction. Nalavde, who was driving, accidentally bumped into the rickshaw, resulting in a heated argument between the rickshaw driver and Nalavde. The constable lost his cool and started assaulting the rickshaw driver.
When the victim interrupted, Nalavde slapped her and grabbed her hand. Other onlookers then intervened and took all of them to the Powai police station. As the news spread in the media, joint commissioner Deven Bharti announced that the constable has been suspended with immediate effect and an FIR has been slapped against him. Deputy commissioner of police, Vinayak Deshmukh confirmed the development.
At the time of going to press, Nalavde was subjected to a medical test at a government-run hospital but a senior police official confirmed he was “reeking” of alcohol. An FIR has been registered against him under Sections 354, 323, 504 and 509 which amount to criminal force on a woman outraging her modesty, assault, abuse and words or gesture outraging a woman’s modesty.
