• I Paid A Bribe
  • 14 years ago
  • 2425 views

Religion and Bribes

Reported on November 10, 2010 from Mysore , Karnataka  ι Report #30007

This story is based on what I heard and is not a personal experience.
A couple was holidaying in Masinagudi (Mudhumalai) and before moving on to Ooty, they decided to go for a drive through the forest. They drove over to Bandipur (Karnataka) and sometime in the evening, were driving to Ooty (Tamil Nadu) and had to pass a border security check post.
The couple was stopped and questioned by an inspector and a constable at the check post. The boy was ********** and the girl Christian. When this came to the policemens' attention, they started to hassle the couple asking them what they were doing together. When they asked the girl to get out of the car, she refused, saying there was no lady constable around. The policemen then made a detailed check of the car and opened up the couple's luggage and emptied its contents on to the road in the rain.
The policemen then asked for Rs.2000 to let them go and told the couple that if they did not pay, they would file any/some report/case against the couple. The couple ended up paying Rs.1500 and drove off.
The couple then went to the Masinagudi police station to file a complaint about being hassled over religion and having to pay a bribe. The DSP was present in plain clothes when they were making the report. He took immediate action.
He repaid the money to the couple and suspended the 2 policemen. The special branch has been involved and is investigating this matter. All this was done in a matter of a few hours.

The action taken by the DSP is commendable. It was prompt.

It is appalling that a couple was harassed by the police based on religion.

(Please note, I have selected the city as Mysore so that I could post this story, but it did not take place there.)

What is your reaction after reading this report?