Gujarat: Cops too will face music for MV Act violation

RAJKOT: As the new rules with enhanced penalty under the amended Motor Vehicle (MV) Act comes into force from September 16 in the state, it is not only the citizens who are worried. The cops from different districts too will face the music if found violating traffic rules.
From Thursday, a special drive was initiated at the Bhavnagar police headquarters where 57 cases were registered for traffic rule violations and Rs 8,700 was collected as fine from general public as well as police personnel.
The violations include riding without helmet, talking on phone while riding vehicle and riding without driving licence. Most of the culprits in helmet related violation happened to be cops.
Bhavnagar range IG Ashok Yadav has directed senior officials of Bhavnagar, Amreli and Botad — the districts under his jurisdiction — to start penalising cops who violate traffic rules before going after the general public.
He has also fixed the responsibility on senior officers to monitor police personnel violating the rules.
“When men in uniform are seen violating rules it creates adverse impact on the people,” Yadav said in an officials communiqué to senior cops of the three districts.
Talking to TOI, Yadav said “We need to set an example and send a message to people that no cop will be allowed to break the rules. We have fixed the responsibility on senior officers to ensure that the cops working under his/her jurisdiction don’t violate the rules, and if rule they are found to violating the rules they should be penalised as per the law.”
Yadav has also asked deputy superintendent of police of Bhavnagar police headquarters to remain present on entry gate with reserve police inspector and take action if anybody entering the campus is found violating traffic rules. Yadav further warned that if after September 16, if any policemen is found violating traffic rules, his supervisory officer will be held responsible.
The Bhavnagar range IG also suggested seminars for mass awareness on the new MV Act and to clear the misconceptions, even among cops.