By Nasser Kasozi Akandwanaho
The Uganda Police force is on fire on allegations of attempting to assassinate Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia on a deadly attack that left him and his dog with severe injuries, this happened in the morning hours of Friday 17th July near his residence in Kololo a Kampala suburb.
Mr. Rajiv Ruparelia, accuses the anti-terrorism police for assaulting him,beating and injured him with his dogs.
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelai and His Dad City Tycoon Dr.Sudhir Ruparelia.MONTAGE/CCTV
Mr. Rajiv Ruparelia said that when he was walking with his dogs in the neighborhood, he stopped a speeding vehicle to inquire why the driver was speeding. It turned out that car was carrying policemen which he later found out that that they were part of the anti-terrorism police in a private vehicle.
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia said that “i told them it was unsafe for them to drive at such a speed in a residential area”. The police officers reportedly responded by telling him that they were speeding in Uganda not in India.
“An officer angrily said to me that this is not India. This is Uganda. Immediately when the dogs realized that I was being beaten by the officers they tried to save me. This was a racial attack,” Mr Ruparelia said.
He says that, police officers further referred to Rajiv as “that Indian” after he stopped a private van and advised the driver who was a cop for over speeding in a residential area of Kololo, an upscale suburb of Kampala.
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia told The Homeland Newspaper that, the attack on the happened as he took a morning walk together with his wife Niaya Ruparelia near their home in the company of their dogs.
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia narrated the ordeal that, while he saw vehicle racing up on a terrific speed and felt concerned that it would be both dangerous for the driver and the pedestrians.
“I stopped to tell them that it was not safe for anybody to ride this fast on a residential road. I and my dogs were walking and I asked why an individual must drive this recklessly,” Rajiv said.
He further explains that,“I requested in a simple way but an officer angrily said to me that this is not India, this is Uganda. The police officer was driving a private vehicle. Based on that in had no idea that this was police”.
According to Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia, the arrogant Police officer questioned why he should slow down, “I did not know there were several other office officers in the car and they got out and started beating me and my dogs”.
“In the process of beating me, I was no longer able to hold my dogs. If someone is beating you how do you control dogs? I released them.” Mr.Rajiv Explains..
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia explains that when his dogs saw that he was being assaulted and beaten they [DOGS] immediately attacked the errant Police officers to save their boss [Rajiv].
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia says,“I was being beaten badly by the officers with sticks and gun butts and others were pushing me and they tried to save me. This was a racial attack.”
“My dog watcher came to help me and in the process he was also beaten badly and he is now in hospital. As they were leaving they knocked him with the car but they did not take his life”. My dog was admitted in hospital for treatment.Rajiv said.
Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia is a Ugandan and a son to tycoon Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia whose family originated from India and they have been and lived in Uganda since 1962 where they have participated in developing Uganda by investing their monies in social services and activities and projects that have a big impact and importance to a common from hospitals,schools, hotels, banks and infrastructure,charity by supporting needy people so Ruparelia Family is the spine of Uganda’s economy and that their companies are biggest tax payers and have given jobs to over 400000 Ugandan who work in Ruparelia Group companies both directly and indirectly.
He said that several policemen jumped out of the car and assaulted him.
The dog handler, according to Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia, was also assaulted and he’s nursing wounds in hospital.
The Kampala Police spokesperson, Luke Oweyesigire confirmed the incident and said, the law enforcers were defending themselves against Mr. Rajiv Ruparelia who reportedly let his dogs to attack them after a heated verbal exchange with them.
Mr. Luke Owoyesigyire, said that as the officers attached to Bank of Uganda listened to Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia, who had stopped their car, he let his dogs to attack them.
“The preliminary information we have is two-sided and we can’t make conclusions. I can’t deny that our officers abused him nor can I deny that the officers were acting in self-defense. We will conclude when we interview the two parties,” Mr. Owoyesigyire said.
Mr.Oweyesigire said that a case of rush and negligence against Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia has been registered by the police officers who are attacked to Bank of Uganda and that investigations shall commence to establish the fact of the matter,sofa we have links and the CCTV Camera is there we shall be guided what happened and how it happened.
He said that Mr.Rajiv Ruparelia is free to report to police and register a racial profiling and assault case against the police officers.
Mr. Luke Oweyesigire said, we have since identified the errant officers,they work with bank of Uganda and that considering the recent battles between Bank of Uganda and the Ruparelia Family was this an assassination attempt?We shall logically investigate the matter and conclude it then get back to you with facts.
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