Bangalore:
Telling a pub owner to shut shop for the day proved costly for a sub-inspector in Bangalore. He had a narrow escape when the pub owner's car hit his two-wheeler.
Later, the pub owner Ashish Kothare reached the police station and created a ruckus in the presence of more than 10 police personnel.
Kothare and his associates, however, denied the incident and alleged that the police personnel beat them up.
Police sent three persons, including Kothare, for a medical check-up. They are yet to receive the medical reports to confirm whether they were drunk.
The problem started when the police constables found the pub Legends of Rock, located at Koramangala open at 12 am and asked the owner to shut shop for the day. The deadline for pubs in the city is 11.30 pm.
This irked Kothare who was present at the spot. He neglected the warning and took it lightly.
The constables then informed Mallesh Bolettin, Sub-Inspector from Koramanagla police station who was on night duty.
Bolettin, in turn, informed Hoysala (a special mobile patrol unit) to look into the matter. The Hoysala officials forced Kothare to close the pub at 12.30 am. At this, Kothare became furious and started fighting with Hoysala officials.
They called Bolettin to solve the matter. Even before Bolettin reached the pub at 1.15 am, Kothare reached Koramangala police station in his car.
After dropping Kothare at the police station, his driver B Raju returned to the pub with manager Basil Buntee Raphael when the car hit Bolettin's two-wheeler. Fortunately, Bolettin wasn't near the bike and escaped injury.
A quarrel ensued between the police, and Raphael and Raju who alleged that the cops had beaten them and were taken to the police station.
At the police station, Kothare repeatedly used filthy language against the police personnel. He even refused to go for the medical check-up saying his driver was responsible.
Kothare said, "Police don't know how to behave with the people. They have beaten our people and we will not take it as a minor incident and let go off."
Bolettin said, "It's our duty to make sure that all the pubs are shut by 11 pm but the people at this pub refused to budge. When I went to check, Kothare dashed his car into my two-wheeler. I had a narrow escape. We have filed a case of rash and negligent driving and also for creating nuisance at the police station."
An eye witness Anup Shetty, who is the President of Koramangala Club, said, "Kothare insulted the police officer and I saw his worst behaviour at the police station."