ASI accused of brandishing pistol at hotel staff

A Bengaluru police officer has been suspended after a viral video showed him brandishing his service pistol during an altercation with hotel staff, sparking outrage over police misconduct and weapon protocol violations. The incident occurred in the Madivala police station limits on May 23 when Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kumar and his team responded to a disturbance call at a private hotel in Jakkasandra. Upon arrival, they found hotel management and staff engaged in a heated argument over salary disputes, which escalated into a confrontation between the officer and hotel employees.

Closed-circuit television footage that later went viral on social media shows ASI Kumar waving his pistol during the verbal altercation, a clear violation of police protocols regarding weapon handling in civil disputes. While no formal complaint has been registered by the hotel staff, the graphic video evidence prompted senior police officials to initiate an internal investigation. The department identified several serious breaches of protocol, including the officer's failure to keep his weapon properly holstered, the absence of body camera footage during the interaction, and the inappropriate display of firearms in a non-threatening situation.

Police sources revealed that ASI Kumar claimed in his defense that he was responding to a citizen's tip about the hotel disturbance and that his pistol became accidentally unholstered during the commotion. He maintained that he never intentionally threatened anyone and was merely questioning the staff as part of his duties. However, the visual evidence contradicted his version of events, showing clear instances of weapon mishandling and aggressive behavior unbecoming of an officer.