Judge beat me up, tore off my uniform : alleges cop deployed

A policeman deployed in the security of a senior judicial officer here has accused the judge of assaulting him and tearing off his uniform in a fit of rage over his vehicle getting stuck in a traffic jam, an official said on Thursday.

A cross FIR was lodged on behalf of Kathihar district and sessions Judge, Pradeep Kumar Mallik accusing the security personnel Harivansh Kumar of barging into his office and using abusive language, SHO, Sahayak police station, Rakesh Kumar said.

Harivansh Kumar has in his FIR, which was lodged late Wednesday night, said that the judge lost his temper when his car got stuck in a traffic snarl at Mirchaibari Chowk in the town while on way to the court from his residence.

Kumar has further alleged that the judge vented his ire by slapping him and tearing off his uniform, besides hurling abuses until the car reached the court premises. He said that he saved his life by running away and hiding inside the Collectorate premises.

The incident sparked outrage among members of policemens association who accompanied him to the office of the Katihar superintendent of police, who asked him to lodge an FIR with the police station concerned.

Shortly after Harivansh Kumar had lodged his complaint, a court official also arrived at the police station and registered an FIR alleging that it was the security personnel who had misbehaved with the judge after storming into his chamber, the SHO said.

A high level inquiry is being conducted into the matter for further action in accordance with law, Rakesh Kumar said.