‘Bantwal Town Police Were My Saviours When I Met with Scooter Accident’- 26-year-old Adithya Narayan of Puttur

‘Bantwal Town Police Were My Saviours When I Met with Scooter Accident’- 26-year-old Adithya Narayan of Puttur

 Mangaluru: Most of the time we read about the brutality, corruption, wrongdoings, and negative side of the policemen, but this is a story of four policemen from Bantwal Town Police who went beyond their duties, in quickly rushing to the accident spot, where a youth had fallen on side of a busy road after his Scooter skid while trying to avoid hitting a oncoming truck. And for being Good Samaritans and for the kind gesture of the cops, the youth has narrated his story on his Facebook, and expressed his gratitude and a BIG salute to these four “Warriors”, like many in the frontline during the ongoing Lockdown Covid-19 scare are being hailed as “Covid Warriors”!

Before getting further into details with this story, I would like also like to appreciate the service of the policemen, apart from the Healthcare workers, sanitation staff, those who run grocery and medical shops, government officials in general — all of them form the frontline in the battle against the novel coronavirus, but the police are in the frontline of the frontline. Even though numerous instances of highhandedness in enforcing the ongoing national lockdown have caused justifiable public anger against the police across the country in recent days, but many of them have performed their duties well in controlling the public in spreading the pandemic. Notably, of all categories of frontline responders to the pandemic who are risking their health and lives, police personnel are the most critical. We also need to consider the police as one of the “Covid Warriors”!

26-year-old Adithya Narayan of Puttur

Switching back to the story to be highlighted here, is about how the Bantwal police quickly rushed to a accident spot, to help a youth who had made a phone call to them, who had met with an accident on his way from Karkala Via Mangaluru to Puttur. Narrating his story on his Facebook on 6 June 2020, 26-year-old B Tech graduate Adithya Narayan, a origin of Puttur appreciates the efforts put in by the Bantwal police responding to his call for help after he had met with an accident, while riding his Mahindra model scooter, after there was no response from 108 Ambulance service and also police helpline 100.

Adithya’s FB post states, “It was 9.30 pm when I finished a meeting at Karkala and was heading to Puttur via Mangaluru. Around 10 pm, when I reached BC Road it started raining heavily. I waited for an hour at BC Road for the intensity of the rain to reduce and then continued my journey on my two-wheeler. When I reached Panemangaluru, it started raining heavily again. But as it was too late, I continued riding my two-wheeler. When I reached near Ullas hotel at Melkar, a truck passed by me from the opposite direction without dimming the beam light. Due to this my two-wheeler veered to the side of the road and I fell. I did not know what happened at that moment. I could not even drag my leg. Somehow I managed to pull my vehicle to one side and sat in front of Ullas hotel. As there was no power, it was dark everywhere”.

Adithya Narayan flanked by K R Nagaraj and Keshanna (both Head Constables), Jayaganesha and Ashoka ( both Home guards)

“Due to the impact of the fall, the flashlight of my mobile was not working. My legs and hands were hurting badly. I called 108 emergency number. But the number was continuously giving a busy tone. After trying two times, I called 100 (police helpline). There somebody received the call but was not speaking to me. On Google, I found the mobile number of Bantwal station sub-inspector (SI). I explained my situation to him. He responded quickly and asked his station personnel to reach the spot with a van. The highway patrol vehicle had also arrived along with the van of Bantwal police station. The police and home guard personnel in the vehicle gave me first aid and also made small repairs on my vehicle and helped me”.

“I want to say to the media who highlight only the atrocities committed by police 24×7, that police do not see time and situation when they are on duty. This incident has shown me their humane side and not only the strict action they take due to circumstances,” Adithya ends in his FB post. A origin of Puttur, Adithya had done his junior college at Govt PUC in Kombettu/Puttur, and later completing his B Tech, he was employed with a IT firm in Bengaluru. Coming down to his hometown, he was stuck in Puttur during lockdown. Recently, on 27 May 2020, he has joined a NMC in Hyderabad, and presently working for that firm from home.

Speaking to Team Mangalorean over the phone, Adithya said, “While appreciating the help rendered by the two policemen and two home guards, I wanted to click a selfie with them for my memory sake, but they were reluctant for a selfie shot. One police constable said, ‘We are not politicians to take photos and make huge propaganda about minor work like this. We are police. This is our duty’.” Since I was determined to have a photo taken with them, after constant requests, I succeeded in taking a selfie. I say these are the real warriors who work for us, and do appreciate their service in times of need, like mine. ”

Amazingly Adithya Narayan’s FB post until now has over 2,500 comments and over 2,800 shares within a day. In conclusion, a big salute should be given to these police for their Good Samaritan work and we need such kind of police personnel who attend citizens’ needs quickly, and not the ones who are lazy and are ignorant. We need to consider them as True Heros or even call them as ‘Covid warriors’, while we are still under the spell of Covid-19 pandemic cum lockdown.
They are, therefore, the frontline of the frontline. They should not be judged by their worst examples. It’s time to give them a salute. Handshake can wait until COVID-19 is under control.