BENGALURU: If potholes, flooded roads and the risk of being run over by unruly drivers weren’t enough, motorists are increasingly having to deal with the threat of crashing into traffic policemen, often seen darting across the road in order to catch violators.

A few days ago, at Yelahanka in front of the CRPF building, a similar scene unfolded. The traffic police regularly check vehicles entering the city at this checkpoint. For two students on a bike with a Tamil Nadu registration, this checking took an ugly turn. The duo, studying in a Doddaballapur college, were headed to their home in the city and were riding on the extreme right lane when ASI Hanumantharayappa ran across the busy road to stop them.

The sight of a policeman running towards them distracted the rider, who lost his balance and hit the policeman, before sliding across the road into the compound wall of the CRPF. All three sustained injuries with the pillion rider being the worst hurt. People around the spot started hurling expletives at the policeman and almost assaulted him. The three constables with the ASI fled the spot, leaving Hanumantharayappa to fend for himself till the police arrived.

“I saw the ASI running across the road as the pillion rider was not wearing a helmet. They were at a high speed, he should not have tried to stop them. This is a daily affair on this road and I almost lost control of my car as well,” said Manjunath, an eyewitness. Photos of the incident showed that the ASI did not even have a name badge on.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) BR Ravikanthe Gowda said, “We have instructed our men not to stop vehicles by moving around on roads, but some continue to do it. It is intolerable. We have some standard operating procedures to fine violators and have also provided training to policemen. We will instruct them.”