Madras High Court orders accused to pay Rs. 10,000 for abusing Police; says Police cannot be threatened while carrying out COVID duties

Police personnel are functioning under severe stress during COVID-19 pandemic and acts of abuse or threat against them should be dealt with sternly, the Madras High Court's Madurai Bench said on Monday. .Justice N Anand Venkatesh, therefore, sought apology from a person accused of abusing Police personnel who were on duty to check COVID protocol violations. The Court also ordered payment of Rs 10,000 as compensation by the accused.The judge elaborated on the challenging task Police officials are carrying out during the pandemic and emphasised that the Court will not take a lenient view of threats and acts against Police. .“In the considered view of this Court, the Police are already functioning under severe stress due to the pandemic situation. The Police cannot be subjected to abuse and threat by anyone and such acts must be dealt with very sternly. This Court is not going to be lenient when it comes of threatening the Police, when they are performing their duty during this pandemic situation,” the Court said. The Court, however, granted protection from arrest to the petitioner-accused till the next date of hearing of the case on June 14. .The incident occurred when the petitioner and four other accused were travelling in an auto-rickshaw without following Covid-19 protocol. On being pulled up by the Police, they hurled abuses and prevented them from carrying out their duty..S Ravi, Additional Public Prosecutor, appearing for the Police, on instructions, submitted that three of the accused were arrested and remanded to judicial custody while two persons absconded.The Court in its order noted that the Police are only performing their public duty and when someone, who is moving around at a time when total lockdown is in place, is questioned by the police, the concerned person is expected to properly respond to the same. Police cannot be abused or threatened for doing their duty, the Court underscored. ."The petitioner is directed to file an affidavit in the Registry expressing regret for the entire incident and giving an undertaking that he will not involve himself in any such activity in future. That apart, the petitioner must also be made to pay some amount as compensation," the Court ordered. The accused was, therefore, directed to pay Rs. 10,000 to Advocate Clerk's Welfare Association, Madurai before June 11. The matter will be heard next on June 14 till which time Police cannot take any coercive action against the accused. .[Read Order]