Cricketer Vikas Tokas, who represented Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2016 has alleged that Delhi police assaulted him after he refused to pay a fine for not putting a mask inside his car.
Vikas, who has represented Delhi in Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments was injured near his eye after his confrontation with the police.
However, the police said that the made by Vikas were “baseless”. The police also added that the cricketer sustained injuries during their attempt to bring him to the police station.
They snatched my phone. Later one of the personnel at the station told me to compromise saying that they made a mistake…They were pressing me not to take any action…I have sent an email to DCP and CP demanding suspension of Puran Meena & one other : IPL cricketer Vikas Tokas pic.twitter.com/TmHgFw2IBc
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2022
The incident happened near Delhi’s Bhikaji Cama Place. “I was going from the house of a fellow cricket player to my house in Mohammadpur around 12 noon on January 26. The police personnel who were standing near the barricades outside the Mohammadpur village stopped me. I was not wearing a mask then. The police personnel demanded Rs 2,000 from me,” Vikas told ANI.
Tokas admitted his mistake in front of the police but did not oblige to pay the fine.
“On Jan 26, some police personnel stopped my car and asked for Rs 2000 alleging that I wasn’t wearing a mask. When I countered them they sat inside my car, abused me. One of them was Puran Meena who punched me. They took me to the Police station alleging that I was fleeing with a rifle,” he added.
DCP South West Gaurav Sharma has a different version of events to tell. “On Republic Day2022, Vikas Tokas was stopped for checking and was not wearing a mask in a public place but instead of cooperating, he arrogantly started misbehaving, asking how a constable rank official dared to stop a national-level cricket player,” he said .
“When the police personnel asked him to put on the mask at the barricade and tried to fine him. He arrogantly started misbehaving, asking how a constable rank official dared to stop a national-level cricket player. When asked to come to the Police station , he tried to drive away. Police stopped the car and in a scuffle, he was accidentally hit near the eye,” the DCP said.
The police further alleged that Vikas’s father-in-law had to give an apology in writing before setting him free.
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