Dadar station brawl: TC, constable file complaints

Mumbai: Following an alleged brawl between ticket collectors (TC) and a Mumbai police constable at Dadar station three days ago, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered two separate cases.

The cross-complaints have been filed as the TC has claimed that the constable punched him first, while on the other hand, the constable has alleged that he was taken to a ticket collectors’ cabin and assaulted by six TCs.

Following numerous complaints against TCs, the GRP had written to Central Railways (CR) eight months ago asking it to install CCTVs in the cabin but the railways has not paid any heed to it.

The GRP officials said that in the backdrop of several complaints of ticketless commuters being taken to the TC’s chamber on platform 6 and allegedly being beaten up; another letter would be sent to the railways to fix CCTV cameras soon.

TC Dhananjay Yadav has told the Dadar GRP that they were performing their duty when constable Vilas Pawar, attached with the Goregaon police station, failed to produce a ticket and refused to pay fine.

When they insisted, he refused to budge saying he was a cop and he allegedly landed a blow on Yadav’s face. Other TCs rushed to his rescue and caught Pawar.

However, in his statement, Pawar claimed that he was taken to the TC office on the same platform and after illegally detaining him there, at least six TCs ganged up and assaulted him before informing the GRP. The investigation now only depends on the witness accounts and medical reports.

“The statement of witnesses, including TC office staff and others on the platform are being recorded. There are no CCTVs inside the office that was sought by us, owing to similar complaints in the past,” said Nitin Bobade, senior inspector of Dadar GRP.

The GRP officials, however, said that the quarrel taking place on the platform was captured by the station CCTV cameras.