K'taka man, suffering from epilepsy, thrashed by eight cops for lockdown violation; succumbs to injuries

Death is too unjust a punishment for violating lockdown. But life is precisely the price that a man from Karnataka paid for it. Roy D'Souza, a 50-year-old epileptic man, who was allegedly thrashed by 8 cops for violating curfew succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

The victim's family has claimed that the man was mentally unstable and ran out of his hand with a sickle in his hand during curfew hours. The police has claimed that Roy attacked a constable on the road and that is when he was taken into custody.

When Roy was handed back to the family members after three hours, he was found in a semi-unconscious state and beaten blue and black. He was rushed to the hospital, following which he developed complications and was put on a ventilator in Madikeri Hospital.

IGP Madhukar arrived in Kodagu to inquire further into the case. While an investigation has been initiated and all 8 of the policemen have been suspended, but is that even enough, questioned the angry protestors outside the police station.

Virajpet residents, along with a few members of the Congress, protested outside the police station but were barred from entering it. Meanwhile, a written complaint against the Virajpet police has also been filed by the victim's brother Robin.

When police were applauded too for its 'ingenuity'

To monitor and keep over 1.2 billion Indians indoors is a task. The one that Indian police has performed with creativity and strictness, both alike. At one point, social media was applauding and laughing at the 'creative' ways deployed by Indian police. But at no point should it turn to brutality.

In the past, from making lockdown violators write 'sorry' 500 times to squatting to rolling in a rooster position, Indian police has tried it all; much to the approval of social media. A few apathetic cops bring a bad name to the entire police force and shake people's confidence in them, said a post on Twitter.

Is suspension enough?

Those condemning the brutality of cops opined that punishment was not commensurate with the crime or negligence while on duty. "Eight cops suspended for murder! That's a privilege. A common man gets arrested for murder," wrote an angry user. Several others followed suit. "Shouldn't they be behind bars for murder," questioned another post.