On the night of October 20, some teenagers, residents of the police quarters, were bursting crackers in the colony premises. After a resident made repeated complaints to the MRA police station, at around 9.30 pm, two baton-wielding cops from the station allegedly charged at the group of boys. The boys fled the scene.

However, 22-year-old cloth salesman Ramdas Arjun Sawant, or Raju, whose father is a constable in the police control office, says he was just hanging around the spot at the time and ended up becoming the butt of attack. ``I had just returned from work, and had no idea why the cops were charging at us. But before I could ask any questions, PSI A M Jadhav hit me at least half-a-dozen times withhis lathi below my knees. This caused a huge swelling near my ankles and I could barely stand,'' said Raju. PSI Jadhav then allegedly dragged Raju inside the station, where another cop abused him verbally. His friend Amol Mane (18), whose father is a constable with Colaba Police Station, said his entreaties to the cops to let go of Raju ``fell on deaf ears''. ``Jadhav gave me two slaps across my face and told me jyada shaana mat ban (don't get too wise) and dragged me too inside the station.'' By this time, many colony residents had gathered outside the station, and they urged senior officials to take action against the concerned policemen. But when, apart from noting the youths' FIR, the police did not heed to their requests, residents from all three three blocks in the colony staged a dharna till 3 am.

While Amol was lightly bruised on his arm, Raju had to be taken to St George Hospital. ``At the hospital, the cop accompanying me told the doctor that I was drunk. But when I insisted on a breathanalysis, the doctor had to admit that there was no alcohol content,'' said Raju. He claimed that hospital authorities refused to admit him, despite the fact that his legs had sustained serious injuries. By Friday evening, he could walk around with some difficulty, though the scars were yet to heal.

Senior PI V Phad was unavailable for comment as he was out on bandobast on Friday, while PSI Jadhav was also out on wireless duty. However, another police official told Newsline that the cops had only acted on a complaint from a `B' block ground floor resident, alleging that some of the boys were bursting loud crackers just outside their doorstep. The police had suspected Raju and his friends to be the culprits.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), K L Bishnoi, said he was not aware of the incident. Said Raju's mother Anita Sawant: ``If policemen can treat policemen's children this way, then God save the common man.'' Raju has said that he will take the matter to the Commissioner of Police.