Goa Director General of Police, Muktesh Chander, who has had to face the ire of politicians over the traffic sentinel scheme, on Tuesday said deaths on road accidents had come down due to strict enforcement of traffic norms.

Traffic sentinels are a voluntary army of civil society activists who photograph traffic violators on Goa’s roads and with the aid of a police app, help the traffic police book the culprits in return for financial incentives. The sentinel scheme, conceived by Mr. Chander, came in for attack in the recently-concluded session of the Assembly, forcing the government to promise a review. A few vigilante groups have also been found assaulting the sentinels who were taking photographs of traffic violations.

Speaking at a Road Safety week function on Tuesday, Mr. Chander denied the theory being floated by some politicians and stakeholders of the tourism industry that the traffic police were to be blamed for the drop in tourism footfalls. He denied that the strict implementation of traffic rules meant harassment of tourists.

“There is no law which says tourists are allowed violations in Goa. They are also supposed to observe traffic laws. But the moment we start implementing this in a serious way, (we are told) we are responsible for the collapse of tourism,” Mr. Chander said. He asked whether a tourist would violate rules with impunity in his or her country. “Can you dare do something like this in Singapore, the US or any other developed country? Promoting tourism does not mean giving a free hand to tourists, to commit all kinds of violations,” he said.

Goa police have claimed a 20% drop in deaths on the road last year as against over 300 deaths per annum on an average and more people maimed in accidents in the tiny coastal State.

On Tuesday, Mr. Chander likened himself to Italian scientist Galileo Galilei, claiming he was being targeted for strictly enforcing the use of helmets as mandated by rationality and the law. Mr. Chander, who was at his sardonic best, said those who did not wish to follow traffic rules should sign organ donation forms so that their organs can be harvested in case they meet with fatal accidents. “You may not believe in the helmet. But there was a fellow named Galileo. Everyone (then) used to believe the sun rotates around the earth. When he said earth moves around the sun, everyone abused him. Finally, he was sent to prison. He said I will prove it with a telescope. People still did not believe him, and he died in jail,” Mr. Chander said. “Today, I am telling you that a helmet is necessary. I showed you a (helmet) demo too. You can try the demo at home, with a melon. If you still do not understand, then what can I do?”