No helmet, no entry in CP office

In a move to enforce the mandatory helmet rule, the traffic branch of Pune police has decided to deny entry to police personnel on two-wheelers who fail to wear helmets, inside the campus of police commissionerate.

The order issued by deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Vishwas Pandhare will be implemented from Thursday. The rule will also cover civilians.

Speaking to DNA, Pandhare said, “We had discussed the issue with police commissioner Gulabrao Pol and other top police officers before issuing the order.”

The top brass has also asked senior inspectors to follow this order at their respective police stations. “It will be a positive step if senior inspectors at police stations implement this order. It will definitely give impetus to making helmets compulsory for police personnel,” Pandhare said.

The issue of making helmets mandatory for cops in the city was taken up by former police commissioner Meeran Chadha Borwankar. She had issued an order that cops and pillion rider should wear helmets while riding two-wheelers.

Hence, till date, over 6,000 cops were fined for violating the helmet rule.

The traffic police are trying to inculcate the habit of using helmets among citizens, since head injuries tend to be fatal or lead to disabilities. Some years ago, the city police had tried to make the rule compulsory, but had to withdraw it on account of widespread opposition.