Pune: A retired ACP, Bhanupratap Barge, allegedly assaulted security guards during a parking dispute at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) on Sunday morning.While Barge alleged that the guards started misbehaving with him, the security supervisor and the guard claimed Barge became angry and identified himself as a police officer after being told that there was no parking space, and slapped the guards.Non-cognisable (NC) complaints have been registered by both parties against each other at Deccan police station. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told TOI that the police were examining both the complaints and that subsequent legal action would be initiated.The CCTV camera footage from the parking lot, which has surfaced on the internet, showed Barge slapping a security guard twice.Mahendra Bhosale, security supervisor, said Satyaveer Singh (32), who was slapped, did not use any abusive language. “He merely told him that the parking was full. No security guard has the bravery to abuse someone in an Audi car,” Bhosale said.“As you can see in the CCTV camera footage, he just proceeded to slap him twice and used abusive language despite the security guard apologising. He was just a security guard. He has been working here to take care of his family. He was scared. He has gone on leave from today,” said Bhosale.Satyaveer Singh said he just wants this chapter to end so that he can go back to work peacefully. “I have two young children, wife, parents, younger brother and sister. I left all of them in UP to come here and work so that I can provide for them and they can lead a better life.”“If something happens to me, there is nobody to look after them. I am scared. I never abused anyone. My colleagues will vouch for me and you can see it in the CCTV camera footage. I have a persistent pain in my backbone, and I am going to Delhi to get it treated. I am thinking of the incident as someone of my father’s age has slapped me. I have nothing against anyone,” said Singh.As per the NC filed against Barge on the morning of Aug 2, 2026, Bhanupratap Barge arrived at Gate No 2 of the institute to park his vehicle as he wanted to go to the hotel on the premises. Since the parking area was already full, the complainant informed him that there was no parking space. “Barge became angry, got out of his vehicle, slapped the complainant twice on the cheek and threatened him by saying, I will see to it that you are dealt with,” as per the NC filed by Satyaveer Singh.However, as per the NC filed by Bhanupratap Barge and his video message, despite parking being available, security guards signalled that there was no parking. Barge got down from the car, as per the NC, and started opening the gate when the security guards came towards him.“He pushed me when I tried to open the gate. When I told him he doesn’t know who I am and that I am a retired police man, the security guard said, ‘So what?’ and then used abusive words against me and said, ‘Call the gunner,’ to which I reacted. When he realised his mistake, he touched my feet and started apologizing,” said Barge.While the video footage appears to show vacant parking spaces, the parking lot was divided among different establishments operating within the GIPE campus. The parking area allotted to the hotel can accommodate only five to six cars and was full at the time of the incident.The NC by Barge further stated that because of the parking dispute, the watchman abused Barge, defamed him and threatened him. “I am also going to take legal steps against the institute for making the CCTV camera footage available to third parties. After the altercation, when he apologised, I asked him to give me the supervisor’s number. He started apologising and said he would lose his job,” said Barge.“I told him that it is not my intention and that the supervisor must be instructed about the bad behaviour. I called up the supervisor and told him to train the staff better. He also apologised to me,” said Barge.
