Open Letter to the Citizens of this Great Country. Arise, Awake and Raise your Voice!

Read this open letter to know how a DANIPS Officer tried to silence my voice with goondaism tactics when caught red handed misusing his Official Vehicle.

From,

Tarun Karthick,

Editor,

Nicobar Times

To,

All my Fellow Citizens of India

Wishing all my fellow countrymen Happy Republic Day 2021. India entered into 72nd Year of its Republic on 26th of January 2021. 71 Years ago on 26th of January 1950 the Indian Constitution came into effect. The preamble of the Indian Constitution states that:

“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity, and to promote among them all,

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this 26th day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”

On 24th of January 2021 when the Nation was gearing up to celebrate Republic Day, my rights as a citizen were violated by an arrogant DANIPS (Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Island Police Service) Officer.  

I am a Journalist who has been involved with various organisations since I was 18 years old. I am 27 now and have attained nine years of experience in the field of Journalism. During my entire career as a journalist I have met and interacted with top bureaucrats and officers of the Police Force, never in my life I have seen an arrogant officer of this magnitude. 

It all started when the residents of the remote Great Nicobar Island started complaining to Nicobar Times about the misuse of official vehicle by Shri. Prashant Choudhary, DANIPS posted as SDPO, Campbell Bay. The complaints became so frequent in the recent days, that it was impossible to ignore. 

The acts of the SDPO Campbell Bay became the talk of the town and everyone seemed to be complaining about him. People started questioning me personally that why I am not doing anything about it.

One person even gave me a video of the wife of SDPO being dropped at PHC Campbell Bay by Official Police Vehicle AN01L0008. I decided to publish the story of misuse of official vehicle of Police by the SDPO, Campbell Bay.

In my investigation it was revealed by several local residents that not only does the driver drops the wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay in his official vehicle but she also drives the official vehicle. These were verbal statements of the residents and I wanted to confirm it personally and record the evidence so that stringent action could be taken against such officer.

On 24th of January 2021 when I was standing at Zero Point, Campbell Bay we noticed police vehicle being driven by the wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay. I along with my friend Kishore Kumar Surin decided to record the evidence so that I can publish it. We proceeded towards PHC Campbell Bay on bike but couldn’t get a clear footage. We decided to sit at the Bus Stand Opposite PHC Campbell Bay and record footage of the wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay driving the official Police Vehicle.

When we were recording the footage, the wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay stopped the vehicle in-front of the Bus Stand and asked us what we are recording. We clearly told her that she is illegally driving the Official Vehicle of Police Department which we are recording. She started arguing with us. She called her husband (SDPO, Campbell Bay) and right after one Police Constable Shri. Samir Barik who is posted at the Office of the SDPO, Campbell Bay reached the spot and started arguing with us. Soon SHO PS Campbell Bay also reached the spot. We had earlier placed calls to the local political leaders of Campbell Bay suspecting that the issue will escalate.

Shri. K.C Murugan, Mondal President, BJP, Campbell Bay was the first to reach followed by Shri. Sanjay Kumar Singh, State Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Shri. Sanjay Kumar Singh spoke to the wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay and explained to her that driving the official vehicle of Police is wrong.

Soon several police personnels reached near PS Campbell Bay. The wife of SDPO, Campbell Bay was asked to sit in the vehicle by Shri. Samir Barik and she was taken away. We waited there at the spot and very soon the SDPO, Campbell Bay came to the spot. He asked us on who recorded the video and in response I replied that I did. He immediately marched towards me and held me by my collar in front of all political leaders and police personnels and pushed me. Then he started pulling me towards Police Station. Shri. Sanjay Singh intervened and told him to be courteous. He asked him under which section is he arresting me to which the SDPO, Campbell Bay replied Section 344.

I was taken to PS Campbell Bay and as I entered the Police Station the gate behind me was closed. I was taken inside the SHO’s Cabin where SDPO, Campbell Bay was sitting on the officer side chair. I went in and took a seat at the visitor side chair. The SDPO, Campbell Bay started shouting at me and telling me to get up from the chair. I refused and soon few police personnels by use of force lifted me from the chair. I was standing behind the Visitor chair when the arrogant SDPO, Campbell Bay came near me and slapped me two times. While the SDPO was slapping me Shri. Samir Barik, Police Constable was holding my hands to facilitate SDPO in slapping me. Some police personnels who were present there immediately pulled the SDPO back. Soon the SDPO asked me to pull down the mask from my face and when I refused, he pulled it down by force. He asked the police personnels to search my pockets and take my phone. I had already sent my phone away before in safety so that the videos couldn’t be deleted by force. The SDPO also asked the police personnels to bring a stick. Meanwhile Shri. Samir Barik was searching for spy cam on my body. When they did not find the phone SDPO asked the police personnels to take me to another room. I was made to stand in that room and the police personnels were sitting there, it was under the instruction from the SDPO and the police personnels there had no role in doing so.

I could see a large crowd gathered in front of the Police Station and the Police Personnels were gearing themselves as if some riots have broken out. After sometime I saw the SHO calling me and he asked me to sit near the reception. I was asked to go a little later.

As I went outside and told my friends, relatives and the political leaders that I have been beaten up the crowd started shouting and demanded the SDPO and Shri. Samir Barik to be brought out. Soon the SHO told us that they have to take me for Medical Examination. 

(I am not including all small details in the writeup and just a gist for your understanding of the incident.)

We went to the Hospital and I told the doctor that I have been beaten up by SDPO, Campbell Bay and the doctor examined me and found no external injuries. The doctor rightly made the injury report and I was let go. We walked back to the Police Station and I wrote a letter demanding an FIR against Shri. Prashant Choudhary, SDPO Campbell Bay for beating me inside Police Station. 

No visible action has been taken yet on my complaint. FIR against Shri. Prashant Choudhary and Shri. Samir Barik has also not been lodged by the police.

Police officers like Shri. Prashant Choudhary who misuses his power to suppress voice of a Journalist can do it with anyone. The police should take strict action against such officers and ensure that such things are not repeated. Further action needs to be taken against him for misusing his official vehicle. 

I have received strong support from all corners of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and everyone is demanding action against SDPO, Campbell Bay. 

This incident is a clear cut example of how Official assets are misused and when someone raises voice against it, how official position is used to try and silence them.  

Every Citizen in India is equal and enjoys the same rights and duties. According to the Code of Conduct for Police In India published by the Ministry of Home Affairs “The police must recognise that they are members of the public, with the only difference that in the interest of the society and on its behalf they are employed to give full time attention to duties, which are normally incumbent on every citizen to perform.”

Every Citizen of India have the same duties and everyone needs to report the wrongdoings in the society. Misuse of the official vehicle is a serious misconduct. The taxpayers money is being wasted on providing services to the family members of a Police Officer, which is not in the public interest. The public assets are being used by a private person by flouting all norms. 

We have decided to fight until appropriate action as per the law has been taken against Shri. Prashant Choudhary, SDPO, Campbell Bay.

I request you all to Arise, Awake and Raise your Voice!

Regards,

Tarun Karthick