The Haryana Director General of Police, OP Singh, has sparked a fresh conversation on road behaviour and the culture around high powered lifestyle vehicles after he remarked that people who drive Mahindra Thars are “making a statement” and may even be “crazy”. His comments, made during an interaction with reporters on Saturday.
‘If it is a Thar, how can we let it go’
As per a report by NDTV, Singh explained the procedures that police personnel follow during routine vehicle checks and emphasised that officials must remain polite throughout. Breaking into a smile, he noted that officers do not stop every passing vehicle, yet there are certain ones they simply cannot ignore.
“If it is a Thar, how can we let it go? Or if it is a Bullet motorcycle...all rogue elements use these two. The choice of vehicle reflects your mindset. People who drive Thars perform stunts on the road. The son of an assistant commissioner of police ran over someone while driving a Thar. He wants his son freed, and we asked him whose name the car is registered in. It is in his name, so he is the rogue element,” he said in Hindi.
‘The Thar is not a car, it is a statement’
Turning towards a fellow officer, Singh continued in the same candid tone. “If we make a list of cops, how many will have a Thar? And whoever has it, he must be crazy, dimaag ghuma hua hoga uska. It is a statement. The Thar is not a car, it is a statement which says this is how I am. Okay then, suffer. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot indulge in hooliganism and then expect not to get caught.”
{{/usCountry}}Turning towards a fellow officer, Singh continued in the same candid tone. “If we make a list of cops, how many will have a Thar? And whoever has it, he must be crazy, dimaag ghuma hua hoga uska. It is a statement. The Thar is not a car, it is a statement which says this is how I am. Okay then, suffer. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot indulge in hooliganism and then expect not to get caught.”
{{/usCountry}}His remarks, light hearted on the surface, underline a concern that has recently gained ground in several states. Incidents involving Thars have become common in viral videos and police reports, raising questions about the pattern of risky behaviour associated with the vehicle.