NAGPUR: Senior inspector Vijay Akot of Beltarodi police station, who retired after 33 years of service on Saturday, bagged some 318 rewards without facing any inquiry, reprimand or disciplinary action. Among the exploits of this former Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officer was unearthing the plans of nine ISI-trained terrorists, who were about to launch an attack in Mumbai and Aurangabad with poisonous substances and explosives.
Akot, who had driven the police station’s driver home on his last working day last month, got a grand farewell from his staffers too. The staffers used official vehicles to create a ‘convoy’ for him with bike-borne commandos acting as ‘pilots’ to take him from Beltarodi police station to his residence at Subhedar Layout. This was a satisfying end to the career of the wrestler (pehelwan)-turned-cop from Akola, who had joined the department as constable in 1988 after getting inspired by stories from police magazine ‘Dakshata’.
While serving as constable, he had studied hard to clear MPSC examination to become a sub-inspector and came to serve in Nagpur. “It was during my service as sub-inspector at Sakkardara between 1996-2000 that I bagged almost 100 rewards,” said Akot, who also worked as in-charge of Dhantoli and Beltarodi police stations in city and also at Shegaon.
Naik police constable Prashant Sonulkar of Beltarodi police station said Akot was a senior who was ever supportive and encouraging. “Tension mat le, main hoon na!’ (Don’t take tension, am there), was what he always said to us,” said Sonulkar.
