Mumbai: Renowned TV and Web actor Aansh Arora had to pay big time for returning to apologise after an a quarrel in a convenience store. The actor said in a report covered by Mid-Day that he and his minor brother brother were beaten up by the Uttar Pradesh Police when the store staff turned him over to them. He was bashed up so badly that he was admitted to the ICU from May 13 to May 16 and is still in hospital in Delhi.
According to the report on Mid-Day, Arora has written a letter to the National Human Rights Commission seeking justice. According to Arora, “I was physically assaulted and tortured by the officers of Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. My minor brother and I were subjected to extremely cruel and inhuman behaviour by the officers who assaulted us through the night till the next morning.”
Why the fight?
Arora’s troubles began in a convenience store at Ghaziabad. On May 11 he ordered food there including a hotdog. When he asked for the bill, the staff allegedly told him everything was ready, but he would have to wait for the hotdog for at least an hour. He claimed he told them to cancel the order as he was getting late. But the staff allegedly did not respond properly. Arora said, “They said how can we take money from you without giving you the food? I said that means you want me to wait here. I questioned why they were not canceling my order. And that is how the arguments started. We started abusing each other and I got angry and even banged my hand on the reception counter, breaking the glass.”
He left soon after. “When I reached home I felt bad. I thought the staff lost money because of me. So I decided to visit them again, apologise, and pay them. But they handed me over me to the police,” Arora said.
The Nightmare
On May 12 around 1.30 am he claimed he went to the convenience store. While his brother waited in their car, Arora went in. But he claimed the store staff called the police who were in a police van nearby. Arora said they arrested him under Section 151 of CrPc (Arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offence). When his brother saw them and came to ask what had happened, they allegedly arrested him too.
The police allegedly took their mobile phones. Arora claimed that five to six policemen then beat them up at the Indirapuram police station. His constant requests to let them inform his family were allegedly ignored. They were then put inside the lock-up at around 3 am.
The next morning their parents arrived at the same police station as the brothers hadn’t returned, and were allegedly misled by the police. Around 10.30 am that day, Arora claimed his brother was taken to a room behind the police station and brutally beaten again. “When my brother was brought back to the cell, he was unable to walk and was howling and screaming in pain. After that they dragged me from the cell to the same room and asked me to count till 40, and each time I reached 40, they hit me,” Arora added.
According to Arora, they also warned him that if he skipped a number they would make him restart and beat him again. He claimed the policemen continued to beat him mercilessly on his legs and feet with a bat.
Granted Bail
Their parents then returned, having made all possible enquiries and finding that Arora and his brother were at the Indirapuram police station. After begging for information and requesting the officers, it was revealed to them that Arora and his brother were in the lock-up and would be produced before a magistrate that day.
They were produced in the evening court of S D M Ghaziabad, and granted bail. Later Arora and his brother were taken to a hospital by their parents. While Arora was admitted, his brother was allowed to go after being administered First Aid.
Absurd comment:
Upendra Agarwal, SSP of Ghaziabad said, “As of now I am unaware about this incident. I will verify and inquire into it.”
