PANAJI
The Traffic Department has landed in controversy again, this time revolving around Anjuna Traffic Cell for strictly enforcing traffic rules. The department has chosen to remain silent on the matter.
Four personnel, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Rajan Mhamal and Head Constables Sanjay Gawde, Rupesh Raut, and Vishram Malik, have been directed to report to the Goa Reserve Police (GRP) Wireless Division immediately, allegedly without official orders.
Sources confirmed to The Goan that the field staff caught a group of tourists riding rental bikes for violating traffic rules around 4 pm on November 30. Among them, one bike carried three women, including two pillion riders, while two other bikes were ridden by men.
“The tourists were caught for multiple offences, including triple-seat riding, helmetless riding, and riding without their driving licences. They were issued a challan of Rs 11,000. The bike with a triple seat was stopped, and the other two bikers halted as they were travelling in a group. When the policemen asked to produce their driving licences, none had it. The other group members assured the policemen they would bring one but returned an hour later with someone else’s licence,” the source said.
One of the violators, reportedly a relative of a senior IPS officer’s wife, contacted her seeking help, after which a wireless operator informed the ASI, who rushed to the scene.
The IPS officer’s intervention let the violators off, but the incident reportedly led to departmental action, though not on paper. “The only fault of the field staff was that they did not wear the body-worn cameras, which could have recorded the incident,” the source added.
