Bangalore,February 19 :The prospect of 60 lashings back home appears to have had a sobering effect on two sloshed Iranian women students who allegedly assaulted policemen conducting routine checks on Wednesday night.
This is the stiff punishment for drinking that awaits them back home if they are deported. Consequently, they were believed to be pleading for mercy a day after their drunken display of rage.The two foreign nationals were produced before a local court on Thursday evening. The government may
deport the women to Iran if they are found guilty of any of the multiple cases registered against them by the Bangalore police.The Iranians in the dock, Azhar Fazile and Fathima Muhmad, are both in their late 20s and study in separate private colleges in the city. On Wednesday, the women were travelling in a car when they were flagged down by the Commercial Street police near M. G. Road around 1 am.
Both girls were drinking beer and wine in the car, the police said. They were also found to be in possession of several liquor bottles. This was not all. Neither of them had a valid driving licence. The car’s registration papers were also not available.
According to the police, Fathima — who was at the wheel — was subjected to an alcometer test. Her alcohol consumption level was detected to be 59 per cent above permissible limits, the police said, adding that they then tried to take possession of the women’s car.
“ That’s when Fathima and Azhar started throwing a violent tantrum. They hurled abuses and dared the policemen to arrest them. One of them even bit sub- inspector Rao Ganesh Janardhan when he tried to get them out of the car,” Commercial Street assistant commissioner of police Ashok Kumar said.
“ When I managed to pull Fathima out of the car, she started hitting me again with a tool. Then she fled,” Janardhan, who sustained a minor fracture on the forearm, said.
But Fathima returned soon and smashed her own car’s windscreen with a stone, said the police. The two were somehow overpowered with the help of bystanders and taken to the police station.
When the crew of a Kannada TV channel turned up at the police station, Fathima rushed towards the cameraman and smashed his equipment, a police officer said. She had to be pinned to the ground for a few minutes.After some time both girls came to their senses, he added.The police have arrested the women and registered multiple cases against them. “ We have impounded their passports.
Both are in India on student visas. Such behaviour can be ruinous for their academic career,” deputy commissioner of police Chandrashekhar said.
The police have informed the Iranian Consulate in Hyderabad about the incident. “ Both girls have realised their mistake.They are pleading for mercy,” said Kumar.
The city police have issued a stern warning to all foreign students in the city. Bangalore is a popular destination for students from Iran, Lebanon, Bahrain and several east African countries.