Mumbai Police Constable suspended for ‘demanding money’ from autorickshaw drivers

The suspension order was issued on Saturday after a report in the matter was submitted to the commisioner’s office. Express photo by Nirmal Harindran

THE Mumbai Police on Saturday suspended a constable for allegedly demanding money from autorickshaw drivers in Goregaon while being under the influence of alcohol.

Subhash Pawar, posted with Goregaon police station, also allegedly tried to strip inside the police station after his superiors threatened to initiate action against him.

The suspension order was issued on Saturday after a report in the matter was submitted to the commisioner’s office.
On June 24, Pawar who was in uniform and in-charge of police mobile van number 1, was seen demanding money from autorickshaw drivers outside Goregaon railway station. A source said: “Pawar was under the influence of alcohol, which was noticed by a beat marshall constable. Somehow, the beat marshal managed to convince Pawar and made him sit inside the nearest beat chowkey. Initially, two officers were sent to check on Pawar. But as he misbehaved, he was brought to the police station where senior officers tried to reason with him. Pawar reportedly tried taking his clothes off when he was threatened with action.”

The source added: “He removed his belt and when he was about to remove his clothes, he was stopped by officers and then taken to Siddharth Hospital for a medical examination.” A case under Section 85 (1) of the Bombay Prohibition Act was registered at Goregaon police station against the constable.

Terming it substance-induced psychosis, Dr Kaminidevi Bhoir, a psychiatric counsellor from the police hospital, said: “Consuming too much substance for a long period of time becomes an addiction. So, after sometime, one loses touch with the reality due to which, one’s behaviour changes and the person has no control.”