Kolkata: Rash driving on Maa flyover without licence

KOLKATA: A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly driving his car in a rash and negligent manner and speeding on AJC Bose flyover. The accused did not even have a driving licence.

This is the first major arrest for speeding and dangerous driving on the AJC Bose Road flyover-Maa flyover stretch, following a late-night incident last Sunday where a high court judge had a close shave on the flyover.


Police said the accused, Matloob Ilahi, a resident of Kidderpore, was driving close to the spot where a 26-year-old was held for allegedly driving dangerously and threatening the PSO of a high court judge on Monday. Both have been charged under IPC sections for dangerous driving and other relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Cops said they were now checking all kinds of vehicles, following the incident involving the judge and the upcoming Holi celebrations. “Following the incident involving the judge we have increased checking of vehicles bound for Maa and AJC Bose Road flyovers. Initially, we had concentrated on commercial vehicles. But now, we are going for random checks of all vehicles. Such checks will help us identify the rogues on the roads,” said an officer, adding both the traffic cops and the local police have been asked to join the patrolling leading up to Holi. “Private vehicles and bikes are not being spared either,” said an officer.

Kolkata Traffic Police had been lodging FIRs against the worst drivers who have maximum number of over-speeding cases against them in the past one year. Several among them have been arrested and their vehicles seized.

Cops also identified hundreds of others who, too, have multiple over-speeding cases pending against them. “FIRs will be registered at the respective police stations in the next five days,” said an officer.

The FIRs are being registered under IPC 279 (rash driving), a bailable offence.

“Ever since 2017, we have installed speed guns across the city. However, even after traffic violation challans are issued, few are actually paying up the fines or even checking if they have violated the rules. We went through a year’s record and identified the worst offenders. Some of them have 20 cases pending against them while most have between 12-18 cases,”

“The seizure of vehicles is important. It acts as the biggest deterrent. Rather than commercial vehicles, the private ones have been found to be the worst violators,” said a senior officer at Lalbazar.”