A 50-year-old truck driver and his 19-year-old son, both Gros Cailloux residents, spent a night in a cell at the Alcatraz Detention Center in Central Barracks on Thursday, Nov. 25, after being arrested on a provisional charge of assaulting a police officer. The officer, assigned to the Traffic Branch, was called to assist by two officers from the Central Barracks police station who were taking the young man into custody for not wearing a mask. But the situation quickly degenerated on the Port Louis highway in front of the Hindu House. The two suspects, Lalldhan Bidessy and his son, Yogesh Bidessy, were released on parole on Friday, November 26, after their appearance in Port Louis court.
The Traffic Branch police officer gave two statements at the Central Barracks police station late Thursday afternoon, November 25, to report the case of assault on a public official by Yogesh Bidessy and his father. This case, he explained, began with a request made by two of his colleagues, who were conducting a traffic stop on the highway towards Port-Louis just in front of the Hindu House. He intervened to support the two officers who stopped a truck, whose passenger was not wearing a mask. The passenger, Yogesh Bidessy and his father, Lalldhan Bidessy, the driver of the vehicle were uncooperative. The young man refused to give his name and began to insult the police officer. He attempted to hit the officer with the cab door of the truck. As he was removed from the cab, his father got down to shove the officer from behind before the young man did the same.
The Traffic Branch officer stated in his second statement how Lalldhan Bidessy interfered so that his son would not be ticketed for not wearing a mask. While insulting him, the 50-year-old shouted, “larg mo piti…” and tried to punch him, but one of two police officers present was able to protect him. The driver, he said, was informed in Creole that he was committing the crime of “assaulting an agent of the civil authority”, in the exercise of his duties. But the driver ignored this and ripped off his mask, his fluorescent jacket and the right pocket of his uniform.
The driver, who became even more violent, shouted at him, “si mo gagn twa lor simin mo …. camion lor twa”. He was subdued and arrested with the help of the two other police officers. Father and son were taken to the police station. This Friday, November 26, they were presented before the Court of Port-Louis. They were later released on a bail of Rs 16,000 each, including court costs.
