Police sub inspector's wings clipped in dog-chicken chase case (ToI)

Police sub inspector's wings clipped in dog-chicken chase case Murari Shetye, TNN | Jul 26, 2013, 02.55 AM IST PANAJI: A police sub inspector got the wrong end of the stick in an altercation between neighbours, where one's dog chased the other's chicken and was beaten with a stick. Margao PSI Tulshidas Naik's failure to take action over the incident of a dog chasing a chicken has led to disciplinary proceedings being ordered by the state police complaints authority (SPCA) against him. SPCA on Thursday ordered the disciplinary proceedings against Naik for not acting on a complaint filed by Navelim resident Ruby Vaz who was allegedly assaulted by Filipe Vaz when she hit the dog for chasing her chickens. In its order, SPCA chairman Justice (retd) R M S Khandeparkar held that the complaint was genuine and justified. Khandeparkar said Naik failed to perform his obligation and also caused harassment to Ruby. "State is required to take appropriate steps for disciplinary proceedings against Naik within three months from the receipt of this report by the home department of Goa and to complete the process within one year from the date of commencement of such proceeding," the order stated. In his defence, Naik said that in January 2011, Filipe's dog was chasing chickens in Ruby's house, and Ruby started hitting the dog. While she was hitting the dog, Filipe entered her house and questioned her about the same, which resulted in a heated conversation between the two. Filipe then went to his house, returned and assaulted Ruby. "Naik ought to have realized that the complainant was alone in her house at the time the accused, Filipe, had trespassed therein. The act of hitting the dog was not without justification. The dog was chasing the chicken of the complainant and having tried to rescue them from the clutches of the dog, she was sought to be attacked by the dog and therefore she had to hit the dog in her house," SPCA said. Ruby, in her affidavit, stated that Naik failed to register a FIR against Filipe for criminal trespass and assault committed by him in her house which established serious misconduct in discharge of the PSI's professional duties. "There is also room to suspect whether the police officer was acting under the influence of some politician. The materials on record disclosed that Filipe was always accompanied by Adelina (ward panch Adelina Fernandes) and stated to be a protegee of Alemao, former cabinet minister," the order stated. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Police-sub-inspectors-wings-clipped-in-dog-chicken-chase-case/articleshow/21350714.cms