Cops warn against attack on traffic sentinels

PANAJI: All attackers of traffic sentinels will be booked and charge-sheeted by the police for violence, asserted the Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Dinraj Govekar.

Addressing the media, Govekar along with the Deputy Superintendent of Police (traffic), Dharmesh Angle, informed that police will not tolerate any kind of violence against traffic sentinels and perpetrators of violence will be dealt with sternly.

Referring to the incident which occurred in Vasco wherein a traffic sentinel was mercilessly beaten up by a mob and his car damaged, Govekar revealed that all perpetrators of violence will be booked and offences will be registered against them and they will be charge-sheeted.

Warning people against attacking traffic sentinels, Govekar said that police will not spare those attacking traffic sentinels and instructions have been given to all the police stations in-charges in the state to act against those who spread violence. He went on to add that police should not reveal the identity of traffic sentinels so as to protect them from being targeted by public.

He said that due to introduction of traffic sentinel scheme, police have managed to curb and curtail the road accidents and fatalities which were on the increase in the state over the last several years.

“Come what may, traffic police will not withdraw the Traffic Sentinel Scheme,” he said adding that the scheme has proved a boon in brining discipline on the roads. If people are aggrieved on being challaned they can challenge action against them and seek redressal before court, he added.

He also said that the aggrieved people could meet higher police officials to redress their grievances, if they felt traffic sentinels have done injustice against them. People should not fight as they have no right to take the law into their hands, stated the Superintendent of Police.

He said, “We have not empowered traffic sentinels to issue challans for violations under Motor Vehicles Act. They just report violations to us about the traffic violations through a photograph. The police is not compelling the violators to pay the challans, they can move court if they wish.”

While praising the scheme, he said it is very innovative scheme and this is being done under Central Act and many states in the country have shown interest and are also trying to implement it in their states in the near future.

A traffic sentinel has to agree with the terms and conditions of the traffic police and thereafter he has to register himself with the police and send photographs of traffic violators, violations and accumulate points to qualify for rewards.

He said that he has been given to understand that there were apprehensions in the minds of people that the scheme was being implemented to generate revenue and that only two-wheelers were being targeted. He also said that there were allegations that morphed images were being used to act against motorists. He denied the allegations and said that these were lame excuses to demand withdrawal of the scheme.

Rather than seeking withdrawal of scheme, the motorists should abide by traffic rules. If people follow the rules, no person can click their photographs and seek to penalise them. Only those violating the rules would have to fear the law, he stated.