Moscow  - A Russian police officer who posted two video clips on the internet to air his grievances directly to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about pay and overtime work conditions said Sunday he now feared for his life.

The Interfax agency cited Major Alexei Dimowski as saying that he had been followed by unknown persons in two cars. He was now taking his wife and child to stay with friends in Moscow "out of safety considerations."

Dressed in duty uniform, 32-year-old major appears in the video clips, which he put online from the Black Sea city of Novorossiysk, and appealed for a "crisis summit" with Putin.

As of Sunday, several thousand internet visitors had viewed the clips by the 10-year police veteran who is currently involved in anti-drugs operations.

Putin has not commented on the clips, but some of Dimowski's colleagues have expressed criticism. Nonetheless, they have become an internet sensation in Russia, with many of Dimowski's fellow citizens saying the officer had a point.

Dimowski was cited by Interfax as saying that his fellow police colleagues were now also under pressure.

"The leadership is exerting pressure not only on me, but also on my colleagues not to confirm the allegations," he said.(dpa)