Rules are not for law enforcers

MUMBAI, Feb 19: If policemen say they are playing perfect hosts during the ongoing 14th Maharashtra State Police Games here, one man woul...

MUMBAI, Feb 19: If policemen say they are playing perfect hosts during the ongoing 14th Maharashtra State Police Games here, one man would want to differ. PS Sujalana, committee member of the Bombay Hockey Association and former chairman of the Indian Hockey Association umpires8217; panel, left Naigaum Police Headquarters grounds a sad and hurt man. Sujalana, tournament director of the hockey event of the Games, faced the wrath of Special IGP, SRPF, Rahul Gopal during a Nanded Range-Nagpur City hockey match.

A few minutes into the match, Sujalana, sitting on the technical table, noticed that the Nanded bench 8212; with it8217;s substitutes 8212; had been moved. Regulations state that the substitutes should sit not more than 10 yards from the referee.

Sujalana summoned a policeman and asked him to instruct the Nanded bench to move closer. No sooner had the policeman started speaking to the Nanded coach, Gopal errupted.

Sitting behind and somewhere in between the two parties, Gopal let loose a stream of expletives andordered the inspector to f off. Apparently, Gopal had asked Nanded to move as he could not watch the game properly.

MA Kareen, former Railways player, international umpire and official here, decided to speak to the officer himself after the inspector beat a hasty retreat. As soon as Kareem approached Gopal, the IGP yelled at him as well. Sujalana now moved in, hoping to provide Kareem with moral support.

But the policeman was in no mood to relent, not even when Sujalana said that he would complain to 8220;higher authorities8221;. Gopal told Sujalana that he did not care less.

Play was called off for a while and another inspector managed to convince Sujalana that the game should continue and that he the inspector would look into the matter.

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8220;After Inspector Vinod Bhasin spoke to me, I decided to let the matter go,8221; said Sujalana later. He left and headed for the BHA office. Gopal too left a little later.

BHA has decided to give a formal letter of complaint to Commissioner Ronnie Mendonca tomorrow,according to BHA treasurer Govind Chokhani who spoke to Mendonca this evening.

Gopal, explaining the incident, said the umpire shouted at him for no reason. 8220;I was talking to the Nanded coach when this man Sujalana starts talking and later shouting at me. I don8217;t even know him!8221;

8220;If they had told me what they wanted, I would have gone. There is a rule to be followed and I would have willingly moved,8221; said Gopal who is in the grounds committee of the Games.

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8220;Anyway, the match was bad and so I left,8221; he added.

Leaving a bruised lot behind.