J&K minister's guards assault traffic police
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India Blooms News Service
Srinagar, Sept 10 (IBNS): Security guards of a Jammu and Kashmir Minister allegedly beat a traffic sub-inspector to pulp when the later stopped them while violating traffic signal in Srinagar on Monday evening.
According to reports, the escort of state Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE) and senior Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-Din was heading towards his government residence at Gupkar, a few metres away from the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
"As soon as the cavalcade reached at the traffic signal, situated at Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), opposite Jammu and Kashmir Bank, they crossed the road even though the signal was red and dozens of private vehicles were waiting for the green signal,” an eyewitness told IBNS.
"One of the Jammu and Kashmir Traffic police officer, present on duty stopped the cavalcade for breaking the traffic rules but the security men hit him (police officer) with rifle butts and beat him to pulp,” the eyewitness said.
The officer identified as sub-inspector Mohan Lal was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, after assaulting the police officer, the security personnel of the minister fled the spot which left the spectators fumed.
“It is sheer hooliganism. Look, they didn’t even spare their own companion. How you can expect that these men in khaki to protect people? It is a police state and this incident proved that a common man is not safe here,” one Hilal Ahmed, present on spot, told IBNS.
When contacted, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic Police, Shafkat Watali said that the department is not going to spare these law breakers.
"We will give exemplary punishment to these offenders. They have assaulted our officer and they will face the music,” he said and added that such acts can’t be condoned.
Watali further said that an FIR has been lodged against these offenders and a manhunt has been launched to trace them.
When asked that offenders having affiliation with big guns freely bypass the law, he said that this time it will not happen.
“I assure you that the culprits will be brought to book. It should set an example for the other policemen who in the garb of uniform break laws,” he said.
Watali however refused to comment which VIP they (offenders) were accompanying.
“We are not concerned with that. Our job is to book offenders who were involved in this heinous act,” Watali said.
Superintendent of Traffic Police, Srinagar city, Haseeb-ur-Rehman told IBNS such acts leave a bad impression on people.
He said that the men in khaki must respect law and law will respect them.
“We are aghast and puzzled. When Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has no objection in following traffic rules, how come these men can violate the law!” Rehman said and added that strict action will be taken against the offenders.
Pertinently, Abdullah has set an example of following rules by stopping his cavalcade at a traffic signal and waited for green light in Srinagar in May.
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Traffic department recently installed traffic lights at certain busy intersections in the city but many people, mostly bureaucrats and politicians have failed to pay any heed to the new signals.
While filing this report, Watali called back this reporter and informed that two offenders have been arrested just now and lodged in Khoti Bagh Police Station.
“Police department has taken this matter very seriously and both have been arrested,” he said.
When contacted, a top officer from Khoti Bagh Police Station identified these two arrested men as Mohammad Shafi (372 security) and Mohammad Abbas (219, 3rd Batallion, security).
(Reporting by Neyaz Elahi)