MUMBAI:
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has instituted an inquiry into an
incident in which two of their personnel allegedly knocked off money
from five Guwahati-bound labourers near the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) recently.
The labourers were found carrying a small quantity of tobacco, which is a banned substance in the state. The cops then refused to consider their identity cards as valid on the pretext that they weren't issued in Maharashtra and threatened the men with action. A scribe who witnessed the goings-on wrote to the top GRP brass.
"I have been intimated about the incident and we are inquiring into it," confirmed additional director general (GRP) T S Bhal.
The incident took place on September 20. The four labourers work at a construction site in Pen, Raigad district. They wanted to board a train to their hometown from LTT. While they were on the path connecting Tilak Nagar station to LTT, two uniformed cops at a GRP desk asked them to halt. The cops checked their baggage and frisked the labourers. A small quantity of tobacco , which is a banned substance, was found on them.
"The labourers declared that the tobacco was for consumption. The cops then asked them to produce identification. At this, the labourers produced two election cards issued in Guwahati. But the cops declared these as invalid on the pretext that the Maharashtra government hadn't issued them. The labourers were dumbfounded as they did not have separate IDs for Maharashtra," said scribe, N Pandey, an eyewitness. "The GRP personnel then threatened to take action against the labourers who pleaded with them. Eventually, they were allowed to go after paying up Rs 600."
Pandey video-recorded a conversation with one of the labourers, Moti Roshan. Roshan said he and his co-workers couldn't file a complaint as they would miss their train. Pandey then gave a complaint in writing at the stationmaster's office in Tilak Nagar and also informed the GRP helpline.
For purpose of sale, distribution, manufacture and storage of tobacco, an offender can be prosecuted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Senior policemen confirmed that a government-issued identity card from any Indian state is valid proof of identity.
The labourers were found carrying a small quantity of tobacco, which is a banned substance in the state. The cops then refused to consider their identity cards as valid on the pretext that they weren't issued in Maharashtra and threatened the men with action. A scribe who witnessed the goings-on wrote to the top GRP brass.
"I have been intimated about the incident and we are inquiring into it," confirmed additional director general (GRP) T S Bhal.
The incident took place on September 20. The four labourers work at a construction site in Pen, Raigad district. They wanted to board a train to their hometown from LTT. While they were on the path connecting Tilak Nagar station to LTT, two uniformed cops at a GRP desk asked them to halt. The cops checked their baggage and frisked the labourers. A small quantity of tobacco , which is a banned substance, was found on them.
"The labourers declared that the tobacco was for consumption. The cops then asked them to produce identification. At this, the labourers produced two election cards issued in Guwahati. But the cops declared these as invalid on the pretext that the Maharashtra government hadn't issued them. The labourers were dumbfounded as they did not have separate IDs for Maharashtra," said scribe, N Pandey, an eyewitness. "The GRP personnel then threatened to take action against the labourers who pleaded with them. Eventually, they were allowed to go after paying up Rs 600."
Pandey video-recorded a conversation with one of the labourers, Moti Roshan. Roshan said he and his co-workers couldn't file a complaint as they would miss their train. Pandey then gave a complaint in writing at the stationmaster's office in Tilak Nagar and also informed the GRP helpline.
For purpose of sale, distribution, manufacture and storage of tobacco, an offender can be prosecuted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Senior policemen confirmed that a government-issued identity card from any Indian state is valid proof of identity.
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