Cop assaults people having dinner at Coimbatore eatery

COIMBATORE: In a reminder of the Sathankulam incident, a sub-inspector of police assaulted the employees and customers of an eatery at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore on Sunday night alleging that it was kept open even after the 'permitted time'. The incident happened around 10.20pm. As per the Covid-19 standard operating procedures, eateries shall be permitted to operate with 50% occupancy till 11pm.
The video of the SI thrashing people having dinner at Sri Raja Hotel went viral on social media.
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Coimbatore city police commissioner S Davidson Devasirvatham formed a team led by an assistant commissioner of police to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The commissioner directed sub-inspector Muthu, 36, of Kattoor station (law&order) to report to the city police control room.
The eatery is owned by B Mohanraj. Mohanraj said a cop from Kattoor police station came to the eatery around 10pm, told him that inspector Latha would come for night patrol and asked him to shut it immediately. However, Mohanraj kept the eatery open with shutter half closed.
Five woman passengers from Hosur visited the hotel and ordered food. While they were having food, sub-inspector Muthu entered the eatery. He started to beat the people who were having dinner. Some of them suffered injuries. A woman named Jayalakshmi suffered an injury near her eyebrow when the lathi hit her. The SI also assaulted four hotel employees, Mahanraj said. The act was recorded in a CCTV camera.
"Sub-inspector Muthu’s behaved in very rude manner. It reminded us of the Sathankulam incident (where a father-son duo died after being tortured by police for keeping their shop open beyond the permitted time)," said Mohanraj.
He demanded that the police register a case against the SI.