Mangaluru: Videos, purportedly showing the Mangaluru police’s behaviour during the protests on Thursday, went viral on Friday, causing an uproar.
In one of the videos, alleged to be CCTV footage from the Highland Hospital in Falnir, police in riot gear can be seen running through a corridor and attempting to break open doors by kicking and swinging their lathis and shields. They are also seen using their lathis and shields to push people in the other direction. Some reports have also claimed that staff at the hospital were beaten by the police.
Another video, also alleged to be taken from the Highland Hospital, shows police personnel chasing after people in the hospital lobby. Reportedly, some of the people escaped into the ICU when the police began firing teargas.
According to a report by TNM, teargas was fired in the hospital’s parking lot and the lobby. The police are reported to have banged on the ICU doors and damaged them.
According to a report by Daijiworld, the police were inside the hospital for nearly 45 minutes. They reportedly left only after they were assured that only patients and their relatives were in the hospital.
Another video that has caused outrage is one where a policeman is seen firing randomly in different directions and another policeman, in riot gear, telling him that he fired many rounds but did not kill anyone. The location of the incident is unclear.
The policeman’s statement has been pointed out by many who have asked what he meant by such a remark. Many have also questioned if the police had received prior instructions to fire at the protesters.
The video is being analysed and debated on television channels.
