Author: Smita Nair, Malegaon
Publication: Indian Express
Dated: October 4, 2008
[Note from the Hindu Vivek Kendra: If the
mob was Hindu, the media would have made special effort, even mentioning it
in the headline.]
AT 9.30 pm on Monday, when Viresh Prabhu got
a Call on his cell phone from his home town of Bellary, Karnataka, ail he
said was "I am on patrol and will call you later." It took Prabhu,
31, a 2004 batch IPS probationary officer, another four hours to call his
wife Priya at 1.30 am, hours after he was badly injured in mob violence after
the bomb blast and brought to the local Medicare Hospital.
"He spoke to her for a few minutes and
said that it was a cylinder blast. She is expecting their first baby in the
second week of November and he did not want the news to reach her. It would
have only affected her badly," said his mother Mahadevi Chandana Gowda,
58.
Prabhu was dragged and beaten by a mob after
his patrol vehicle reached the blast spot, minutes after the explosion. While
his colleague Chandramohan Mina managed to escape, Prabhu and Rapid Action
Force (RAP), driver Sahebrao Mali were badly assaulted by the crowd.
'The news did not reach us soon and we only
came to know the next day that it was a bomb blast." Prabhu's father
S Chandana Gowda and mother Mahadevi arrived from Bellary today and met him.
The family plans to take him to Mumbai for treatment as his wrist has a minor
fracture.
Prabhu had completed a three-year stint with
Indian Railway Traffic Service at Andhra Pradesh. "He wanted to work
for the police force and wanted to be with the IPS," added his father,
"He was in IRTS through his early exams and it was on his fourth attempt
that he got through IPS. He was the happiest that day."
His initial Maharashtra postings included
stints as probationary officer with the Thane rural police for seven months
and in Gondhia, Vidarbha, for another five months -- before he was posted
at Malegaon.
"He had called and started enjoying his
stint here. He knew that it was a communally sensitive place, which only served
to make the work even more challenging for him," said Mahadevi.
The family, however, is even more proud of
their daughter-in-law Priya, a law lecturer. The family was concerned about
her after she saw Prabhu's picture in the local newpspapers.
"She has shown far more courage than
any of us. She was the first to call us after the news eventually reached
her. 'He will be all right' is what she told us. We know that our son is hurt,
but we are proud. Like those whose children are in the Army, parents like
us know the importance of the uniform and we are ready for any eventuality.
Today he is stable. We are happy for him."
The family will also be meeting the four policemen,
including the driver who helped Prabhu and took him to hospital. A bleeding
Prabhu had been left by the drain next to the Azadnagar police chowky before
he was
taken to the hospital by the home guards and PSI Thorat.
"It's our duty to meet them. We will
be grateful to them for life," they said.
