HUBBALLI: Vehicle owners arriving from neighbouring districts to the twin cities have alleged that traffic cops here are harassing them.
They claim that despite having all the required documents in physical or digital form, cops target them multiple times along their routes and impose a fine for even minor errors. According to motorists, while the traffic personnel turn a blind eye towards the locals, they increasingly target the owners of outstation vehicles.
Speaking to TOI, Gadag-based Jain Social Group member Gunjan Gala said his car gets checked all times at Railway Under Bridge on Gadag Road. “We keep our documents ready and we never travel without wearing the seat belt, but cops target only our cars and hardly check local cars having registration number with KA-25 of Dharwad RTO and and KA-63 of Hubballi RTO. Though some local drivers pass without seat belt and go rashly, they hardly stop them,” he said.
Koppal-based contractor RD Doddamani said he visits Hubballi every month for his health check up at a private hospital. “In recent months, our car was checked multiple times along the route. It has embarrassed us a lot and so I am thinking of getting treatment in Koppal itself in the coming days,” he added.
CK Patil, a government employee in Bagalkot, recalled that he was embarrassed to find his rented car parked on TB Road locked when he returned after shopping, in November. “Police claimed it was locked for verification and since then, we stopped coming to Hubballi for shopping,” he said.
Sikandar Meeranaik, CEO at a non-profit organisation, said the police target not just the cars of outsiders. “Even though I stay in Dharwad, my car with Haveri registration number was stopped for verification,” he said.
A traffic inspector said that it’s a common phenomenon for police to target outside vehicles in all cities. “Whether its outsiders or local vehicles, we follow the rules to ensure the safety of people,” he added.
RB Basargi, DCP Crime and Traffic, said there is no discrimination among vehicles based on the registration numbers. “We treat all vehicles equally. There may be few incidents of skipping local vehicles while checking outside vehicles. It can happen vice-versa too,” he added.