“If you have been the victim of a crime of violence, an unprovoked attack or a sexual assault, you may be able to pursue a claim for damages through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Incidents of police beating up citizens and those in essential services owe their origins to man’s striving for superiority and power, but their anger towards other common people just walking outside demonstrate their superiority, partly with an attitude towards other nationalities.” While there is no discrimination prevails, sometimes stray incidents disrupts our trust in the law enforcing machinery as exceptions.
Madison: City officials have agreed to pay $ 1.75 million in compensation to Suresh Bhai Patel, an Indian national who was brutally beaten after failing to give an accurate answer when questioned by police, for walking out of his son’s home in the United States.
The incident took place on February 6, 2015. Suresh Bhai had come from India to look after his grandson just 11 days back.. Suresh Bhai, who did not know English, was approached by two policemen and asked why he was roaming outsides. Patel gestured that he did not know English and pointed out that his son’s house was nearby. Police say he then put his hand in his pants pocket, and police misunderstood for grabbing a gun. Patel was immediately grabbed from behind and hit the ground.
Patel, who sustained severe spinal injuries in the fall, had to stay in hospital for days. His son Chirag Patel said he had to spend a lot of money on treatment because he did not have any medical insurance. The son filed a private lawsuit against Madison City and two police officers on February 15, 2015, alleging that his father could never walk again without assistance.
In May, the case was referred to U.S. District Court. The court ruled that Patel, who weighed 139 pounds and was 57 years old, need not have been detained and questioned. The police could not even realize that he was not a threat to the community. Following this, an agreement was reached with the City Attorney. The incident was strongly protested by people of Indian descent, especially the Patel community around the world, commenting that the compensation is too low for beating up an ignorant old man and leaving him paralyzed for the rest of his life.
