Motorists are often seen getting into heated arguments with policemen for being repeatedly checked for papers.
The tussle between traffic policemen and motorists is never-ending. But one thing that is getting on the nerves of the motorists is that many of them are subjected to checking not once, but multiple times in a day or in a week, although their documents are in order.
Motorists are often seen getting into heated arguments with policemen for being repeatedly checked for papers. “This problem does not appear to have a solution unless some innovative policeman comes up with a fool-proof system,” said Raghavendra Rao, an advocate.
Police in Bangalore categorically deny that frequent checking do occur to the extent of irritating motorists.
“Motorists cannot be stopped for document checking, as it amounts to unnecessary harassment. But if a driver has violated the rules, we will stop and check his documents. Otherwise, there is no routine document checking drive in Bangalore. Only last fortnight, I suspended five policemen in KR Puram police limits for unnecessarily stopping vehicles and checking the documents. If any checking is being done without a cause, the motorists should let me know the name of the officer by visiting our website,” Praveen Sood, additional commissioner of police (traffic and safety), Bangalore, said.
Unfortunately, tier-II cities are not as lucky as Bangalore. Multiple checking happens every day and motorists often get into an argument with policemen. There is no mechanism available in the police manual to prevent multiple checking of the same vehicle and driver.
“I was stopped near Lady Hill intersection in Mangalore by the traffic police for the first time on April 2. Since I had all the documents, the police let me go with a wide grin and a ‘thank you for your co-operation’ remark. On April 6, the same squad stopped me again a little farther from the previous spot. I told them that they had already checked my documents on April 2 and there was no need to check again. Nevertheless, he checked my documents and let me go with an apologetic smile. However, when it happened again on April 15, I lost my cool and asked the officer if he was stalking me,” Rao said.
“It is a waste of time for both the police and the motorist and very unproductive,” agrees Mangalore commissioner of police, Seemanth Kumar Singh and adds, “The police also have a genuine problem. In big cities, it is not possible for them to remember each vehicle or its driver by face and they do not do it by design. It is done randomly and in rare cases, our squad stops the same vehicle without any intention to detain the driver.
“It so happens that each traffic police station will hold routine checking of documents in their respective areas and it is possible that many motorists living in that area can be stopped more than one time,” Singh said.
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