T Luthra, Chandigarh IG. (Source: ANI)
At a time when the Chandigarh Police is facing flak for its initial kid glove treatment of accused Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar in the Varnika Kundu abduction attempt case, the six policemen who responded promptly to Varnika’s distress call around midnight of August 4 and helped her drive to safety as they nabbed the two men, are being seen as the much-needed silver lining. DGP T S Luthra said the police department was planning to reward the six men for conducting a flawless operation from start to finish.
The police personnel involved in the 10-minute rescue operation were Constable Ajay, Head Constable Satish Kumar, Home Guard volunteer Baisakhi Ram, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ishwar Singh, Constable Devinder and Sub-Inspector Vijay Kumar.
Constable Ajay attended Varnika’s call in the Police Control Room and assured her prompt help. He asked Varnika if she could stop and wait for help to arrive. But when she informed him that the two men chasing her were trying to forcibly block her way and open her car’s door, Ajay advised her to keep moving. She told him that she was heading towards her home in Sector 6, Panchkula.
S-I Vijay Kumar was the night duty incharge in the Control Room. On being alerted by Constable Ajay, Vijay Kumar flashed a message from the control room. PCR vehicles available along the route Varnika was taking towards Panchkula, were immediately alerted and diverted towards Housing Board lightpoint with instructions to help the woman in distress, intercept the Tata Safari in which she was being chased and nab the two men stalking her.
Two PCR vehicles with the call signs “Echo-38” and “Amb-25” began the operation by driving towards Varnika from two directions. Echo-38 that was patrolling in Manimajra reached Housing Board lightpoint where Varnika was heading. Amb-25 spotted Varnika being chased by two men in a Tata Safari at Transport Lightpoint and started following the Tata Safari.
Describing the fool-proof operation conducted by the PCR to rescue Varnika, a senior police officer said, “We approached Varnika from both the directions so that she could be rescued in time and the accused could not escape. Finally, we succeeded and the investigation part was subsequently handed over to the police station, Sector 26.”
Subsequently, S-I Vijay Kumar also monitored the movement of the PCR vehicles — Echo-38 and Amb-25 — on the Global Positioning System installed in the Control Room at the police headquarters in Sector 9.
ASI Ishwar and Constable Devinder were on Amb-25 PCR vehicle, and Head Constable Satish Kumar and Home Guard volunteer Baisakhi were in Echo-38. Eventually, both the PCR vehicles intercepted the Tata Safari. Since they had instructions to stop the vehicle and detain the occupants, they did so and allowed Varnika to move on. She reached home and informed her father V S Kundu about the entire incident.
Immediately on intercepting the Safari, Head Constable Satish first deftly removed the keys from the ignition, and caught hold of Vikram Barala who was driving the vehicle and Home Guard volunteer Baisakhi Ram caught hold of Ashish Kumar. Subsequently, ASI Ishwar alerted the Control Room that the vehicle was intercepted and both the accused were detained at the spot.
Talking to Chandigarh Newsline, Baisakhi Ram said, “Both the men were reeking of alcohol. We asked them their identities and why they were chasing the woman’s [Varnika’s] car. But they started arguing with us and asked us why we stopped them. We told them to stay quiet and alerted the police station personnel to reach the spot and take charge of further investigations.”
DGP Luthra said, “We have decided to reward all these six policemen for their prompt response. In fact, the complainant has also appreciated our prompt response to her distress call.” The prosecution’s case shall also include statements of these six police personnel as a vital part proving the crime committed by the accused.
