Police officer slaps youth for crossing road while looking at mobile phone
A police officer in Coimbatore, India was recently caught on a CCTV camera slapping a pedestrian while driving by on a motorcycle.
Footage of the incident went viral on social media, with many netizens criticising the officer for his actions. Some also pointed out that he flouted safety regulations himself by not wearing a helmet.
According to the Times of India (TOI), the incident happened on Nallampalayam-Sanganoor Road on Sunday (12 Jan) evening.
As shown in the 11-second video, the pedestrian, identified as Mohanraj, is seen checking both directions for traffic before stepping onto a busy road.
However, as he started crossing, he diverted his focus to his mobile phone in his left hand. At that moment, a cop riding a motorcycle slows down, slaps him in the face, and continues on his way.
The youth is subsequently seen touching his face and squatting in pain.
Netizens criticise officer for abusing his power
Many people found the police officer’s behaviour unacceptable, noting that he did not have the right to slap others.
Some netizens noted that he could have given the youth a verbal warning instead.
One woman pointed out that the officer himself was breaking the law by not wearing a helmet and riding with one hand.
Source: The Times of India on X
She also proposed a hypothetical situation where, if the pedestrian had retaliated against the officer, it could have sparked a public outcry, possibly shifting the narrative against the youth.
The police officer in question was later identified as police head constable Jayaprakash assigned to the Kavundampalayam Law and Order Police Station.
Senior police officers are reportedly aware of the situation and have issued a summons for Jayaprakash to be questioned.
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Featured image adapted from The Times of India on X.
