Mistaken as abductor, ACP Venkatesh Prasanna briefly detained by TN police

Bengaluru, Mar 23: Venkatesh Prasanna, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch, Bengaluru was on Tuesday briefly detained along with his team by Tamil Nadu police, who allegedly mistook them to be a gang of abductors.

The bizarre incident took place after Mr Prasanna and team arrested two youths— Syed Ali Ansar and Nasir Mustak Pasha, natives of Tiruvallur near Chennai — in connection with the Malleswaram blast case without informing the local police.

It is learnt that when the team of police in plain clothes from Karnataka raided the houses of the suspects, the local residents informed the local police thinking that it was a case of robbery and abduction.

Acting swiftly, a team from Tirunelveli police station rushed to the spot and took Mr Prasanna, his team members and the two detained youths into the custody.

Even though Mr Prasanna tried to convince the local police that he is also a police officer and showed his identity they initially did not believe his version, sources said.

Finally, Mr Prasanna contacted senior police officers in Bengaluru, who then spoke their counterparts in Chennai and facilitated the “release” of Mr Prasanna and team.

The Tamil Nadu police also allowed the Bengaluru cops to take the detained duo along with them for interrogation.

Also Read: Venkatesh Prasanna arrests two more suspects in Malleswaram blast case