BENGALURU: Just a week after the state government imposed new towing charges, a city photographer, Kiran Raj, was allegedly abused and assaulted by a traffic policeman when Kiran questioned him about charging him wrongly for parking his vehicle in the no-parking zone on Dr Rajkumar Road last Friday.
Several other two-wheeler and four-wheeler users also joined Kiran and harangued the traffic policeman for charging “exorbitant” towing fees. Kiran video recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone and posted it on the official page of the Bengaluru traffic police. He accused the policeman of misbehaving and wrongly slapping the towing fine.
Kiran alleged that the traffic policeman, Chikkegowda, slapped the towing fine, though the vehicle was not taken away and the issue was settled on the spot.
The complaint read, “We did not notice the no-parking signboard towards the side of the road and went on to park near the Piaggio showroom around noon on Friday. As the showroom attendant told us to take the car away, we decided to park it elsewhere. Coincidentally, a traffic police towing vehicle came to the spot and the police personnel did not allow us to touch our vehicle. We told him that we were ready to pay the fine on the spot, requesting him not to tow the vehicle as we did not have time. He was reluctant to our request and rudely responded saying we should go to the police station.”
Kiran said, “As we further requested him, he became very abusive for no reason and tried to get physical with us. Seeing the crowd swelling, the traffic police constable took a step back. But the fact here is that, he has levied two separate charges. While one was for no parking fee which is Rs 100 which we had no issues paying. But, the situation turned ugly when the cop charged us for towing which is Rs 650. As our vehicle was not towed and settled at the spot, we were not ready to pay this. When we tried reasoning with the cop on duty, he not only abused us, but also came charging at us to attack,” read the complaint.
Hearing commotion, fellow motorists gathered at the spot and the traffic policeman left the spot in a hurry. When Deccan Chronicle contacted ACP (Traffic - North) said, “We have taken note of the complaint and ordered a probe. We have called the complainant, Kiran, to the station following which his statement will be recorded based on which further action will be initiated.”
