Cops on lookout for man who manhandled traffic constable at WEH

A manhunt is underway in Mumbai for a car passenger who allegedly abused and manhandled a traffic police constable on Friday evening. The driver has been arrested.

Mumbai: The police have launched a manhunt for a car passenger who allegedly abused and manhandled a traffic police constable on the Western Express Highway (WEH) on Friday evening. The accused was in the passenger seat when his driver was stopped by the constable for taking a wrong U-turn, the police said.

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While the constable was interrogating the driver, the passenger got out of the car and confronted the cop, which resulted in the passenger manhandling the cop.

Later, the driver, identified as Rajitram Yadav, 46, a resident of Khar West, was arrested on Saturday.

The complainant, Kailash Hanumant Abhang, 35, of the Dindoshi traffic police chowki, was manning the stretch from Aarey in Goregaon to Times of India junction in Malad. According to Abhang, around 6.30pm, a Honda Accord car MH04ET 7795 was seen speeding towards Adani Electricity Office on the Southbound carriageway.

The driver reached the junction and took a wrong U-turn towards Oberoi Mall and then continued to drive on the wrong side. He gestured to the driver to stop the car, but Yadav did not pay heed and drove straight. “I approached him and asked why he did not stop despite being flagged by a traffic cop and told the driver that he would get an e-challan for taking a wrong U-turn,” said Abhang.

The accused then got out of the car and faced the constable. Abhang alleged that he was behaving arrogantly and told him that the traffic cops stopped drivers to extract money and then offered him money to let them go. “When I told them that I was doing my duty and asked him to control his tongue, the man abused me and snatched the e-challan machine from my hands and manhandled me,” said Abhang.

The accused then took out his phone and began recording Abhang, accusing him of asking for a bribe. “I immediately called my superiors to send back up,” added Abhang. As Abhang made the call, the accused abused him and started walking in the direction of the signal. He then asked the driver to give him the passenger’s name he told him to ask the man himself and proceeded to speed away.

“I then registered a complaint against the unidentified passenger for abusing and manhandling a police officer on duty,” said Abhang.

A case has been registered against the accused under sections 279, 353, 504, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The police are scanning through the CCTVs and tracking the vehicle with the help of the RTO to find out the identity of the accused.