Both sides have lodged FIRs. Pradeep Garathkar, a PPS member and former president of the municipal council of Indapur was travelling with his wife in the same bus. He alleged that his wife was molested by the three `inebriated' army officers. The officers, in turn, have alleged that they had an altercation over the reclining seat and the Garathkars threatened them with dire consequences, once they got off the bus in Pune.

What saddened and angered me was that the former council president of Indapur and a PPS member had the audacity to take the law in his hands. Right or wrong, he had no business to call up from their stopover at Ahmednagar and ask members of the PPS at Pune to reach Mobo's Hotel, ready to physically assault the officers. Also, the PPS members of Pune should have thought twice before blindly following a colleague's order. There have been earlier instances of Army-civilian clashes. About three years ago, some young officers (YOs) from the College of Military Engineering (CME) had attacked security men of the 10 Downing Street, a pub located in Gera Plaza, because they were denied entry. We had reprimanded their action.

Similarly, last year, during such a clash at Ahmednagar, some army officers had gone in large numbers to beat up some civilians over a trivial issue at a traffic junction. At that time too, we had reprimanded the action of these men-in-uniform. Why should these army officers take the law into their hands?

This time, it is the turn of the civilians represented by the PPS members who have to face the music and earn the wrath of conscientious citizens. Garathkar should have abided by the law. He should have lodged a complaint with the police either at Ahmednagar or Pune. Why did he use muscle power? That is unpardonable. Is the PPS listening?