Waqf protest: Police clarify on use of their vehicle

Mangaluru: Following the circulation of a video clip on social media and reports in visual media alleging that a police officer's vehicle was used by protesters during a protest meet against the Waqf Amendment Act at Sha Garden Grounds near Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru, city police commissioner Anupam Agrawal issued a clarification.
He stated that the vehicle was not used by protesters but was instead deployed to rush an injured minor boy to the hospital. The boy, aged 16, was hit by a Tempo Traveller near Adyar Garden around 7.30 pm, shortly after the protest ended. The vehicle, driven at high speed and allegedly in a negligent manner, ran over the boy's right foot, causing serious injury.
According to the commissioner, the ACP of the traffic sub-division, who arrived from the Padil side for traffic management duty, alighted near the main gate of the venue. After the event, she instructed her driver Bairegowda to take a U-turn at Adyar Katte to proceed towards the city for further traffic regulation. Due to barricades in the area, the vehicle took a detour towards the Sahyadri side. At that moment, two female police officers on duty, along with the boy's associates, stopped the ACP's vehicle and used it to transport the injured boy to a private hospital. The decision was taken promptly due to heavy traffic congestion on the highway, the commissioner said.
A staff member, Anand, later handed over the Tempo Traveller driver to the Mangaluru South Traffic police station. A case was registered, and an investigation is ongoing.
Commissioner Agrawal stated that providing immediate medical assistance during the golden hour is a key responsibility of the police, and the action taken by the officers was in line with that duty.