A team of police personnel led by an inspector has attacked three persons including two women returning after buying medicine in Kalanki less than 24 hours after doctors were manhandled in Maharajgunj Wednesday evening.
Jagannath Dhakal of healthpati.com has shot a video of the police mercilessly hitting the three in between Kalanki Chowk and Kalanki Mandir at around 5:15 Thursday evening. Dhakal told Setopati that he saw the trio buying medicines.
"I was there since a little back stopping my vehicle. The police personnel encircled the three persons and asked where they are going. They said they are coming back after buying medicines and offered to show the receipt if needed," Dhakal relayed the incident. "A policeman then shoved a stick at them speaking very rudely."
The three told the police personnel they cannot misbehave with persons returning after buying medicines. "All of the police personnel started to hit with sticks when the three protested. The police personnel threatened me when I came out of the vehicle and went close and said they have returned after buying medicines."
He added that he could not shoot what happened after that as he was asked to stop the camera. "I came back to my vehicle after the police asked me to stop the camera. All three of them were held by the police by then."
The video has gone viral on the social media.
Five police personnel including a female can be seen in the video. The policemen start indiscriminately hitting the three persons including the two women. The female police later tries to restrain one of the two women.
The team led inspector was deployed Metropolitan Police, Bhrikuti Mandap.
Chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu DIG Bishwo Raj Pokharel conceded that the three returning after buying medicines were hit by the police and claimed that it happened as they swore at the police. "Two had come after buying medicines. The police allowed them to go. A person who was with the two answered he was with them when asked where he was going," Pokharel stated. "It happened as he swore at the police when asked to remain there."
He said he has taken the incident seriously and additional investigations are on. "I have instructed all the police personnel in the Kathmandu Valley to exercise restraint," he assured.
A team led by chief of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajgunj DSP Umesh Lamsal had manhandled three doctors of the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and Kanti Children's Hospital when they were returning to their residence after dinner Wednesday evening.
