Mumbai police fines helmetless cop after netizen quips about ‘different rules’

Mumbai Traffic Police issued an e-challan to an errant cop who was caught riding without a helmet in Mumbai’s Chembur area last week. The challan, issued on May 16, is still unpaid as of May 20.

A city-based HR professional, Swati Datye, tweeted the image of the helmetless cop to Mumbai Police’s official handle last Tuesday, questioning whether different rules applied to officials.

“Mumbai Police is this OK? Different rule for different people?,” her tweet read.

Shortly after, Mumbai Police responded to the tweet and sought to know the exact area where the violation took place. They also asked for another picture of the bike in which the vehicle’s registration number was visible.

Datye soon complied with another picture, which showed the number plate and specified the area as Priyadarshani Circle in Chembur.

After acknowledging her tweet, Mumbai Police notified Datye about the action and shared the number of the e-challan issued against the bike-owner.

Traffic division has taken action against the vehicle. (Echallan No: MUMCC19000773973).

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 16, 2019

While the identity of the official in question is not yet known, the challan shows that a fine of Rs 500 was levied on the owner of the two-wheeler (MH-03-DB-6804) for riding without a helmet.

The challan, however, is still unpaid as of May 20.

The city traffic police, incidentally, is yet to recover over Rs 150 crore in dues from errant motorists, including its own officials. It has now resorted to seizing licenses, making house visits and incentivising officials to improve the recovery rate.

The incident comes a week after a vlogger caught another official violating traffic rules in Malad. In the video, recorded by the moto-vlogger and uploaded on YouTube, the cop can be seen riding with earphones on, no helmet and cutting lanes.

When the vlogger, who was following the cop, finally confronted him, the latter responded by losing his cool and asking him to mind his business.

After the video of the incident went viral, the Malad traffic branch issued two e-challans to the cop.

In February, a circular was issued to all police stations in the city stating that no cop, whether in uniform or plain clothes, should ride without a helmet as it hurts the force’s image.

The circular was issued following an incident during which three men had abused and threatened a helmetless constable in Bandra.

Related: Traffic Fines Mumbai 2019: Updated list of penalties for traffic violations