Three traffic constables suspended for prioritising fine collection over traffic management

On Saturday, the control room received a call informing about a traffic jam in the Bhandarkar Road area. Borane, Bhagwat and Shinde who were already present nearby were instructed to immediately visit the area and clear the traffic

PUNE: Three traffic constables who were found prioritising fine collection over traffic management despite being instructed not to do so; have been suspended by deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Vijaykumar Magar. The incident occurred in the crowded Deccan area on Saturday. The suspended traffic constables have been identified as Jayshing Yashwant Borane, Jitendra Dattatraya Bhagwat, and Gorakh Maruti Shinde; all attached to the Deccan traffic police branch.

The suspended traffic constables have been identified as Jayshing Yashwant Borane, Jitendra Dattatraya Bhagwat, and Gorakh Maruti Shinde; all attached to the Deccan traffic police branch. (HT PHOTO)

On Saturday, the control room received a call informing about a traffic jam in the Bhandarkar Road area. Borane, Bhagwat and Shinde who were already present nearby were instructed to immediately visit the area and clear the traffic. Incidentally, DCP Magar, who was in the same area, also called the concerned traffic police inspector and informed him about the traffic situation. The traffic police inspector then told Magar that the said three traffic constables had already been asked to visit the area and clear the traffic. Whereas Magar found the trio busy collecting fines instead of monitoring the traffic situation. Moreover, when Magar approached them, one of them fled from the spot even as the others started hiding their name badges. Magar suspended the trio, reminding them of the explicit instructions he had provided. The disciplinary act sent a clear message to the department and the general public that traffic management and public safety are non-negotiable, and surpass all other considerations including fine collection.

Magar said, “We had issued clear directives to the traffic police to prioritise traffic management over collection of fines for traffic violations. Despite that, the constables were found collecting fines when there was a heavy traffic jam.”

Magar said that he took a detailed report about the incident from senior traffic officers wherein it was found that the said constables were not performing their duties with responsibility. “Hence, I have suspended them for negligence of duty,” he said.

He questioned why they were hiding their name badges if they were doing nothing wrong. He said people should know the names of the traffic police deputed at particular junctions.