Bikers and light passenger vehicle drivers Wednesday alleged that they are continuously being harassed by traffic cops for none of their fault. The seizure of documents from the drivers of Sumo and Tavera passengers vehicles sparked a protest at Batamaloo on Tuesday evening while passengers mostly females from North Kashmir alleged that the seizure of documents along with vehicles at such late hours forced them to wander from here and there in search of vehicles in late hours.It was around 8 pm when a traffic team led by an officer stopped the passenger vehicles and asked passengers bound for different areas of North Kashmir to come down for the vehicles. Without checking the documents, the cops seized the vehicles leaving the passengers in wilderness,” a group of passengers and drivers told CNS.
The Taveera and Sumo drivers alleged that despite having all the necessary documents, the traffic cops seize their vehicles and it according to them has become a routine to harass the drivers. “These cops impose unnecessary fine upon drivers and even after paying fine. They keep the seized vehicles with them for days together to ease traffic on roads. For their comfort they take us for a ride,” the drivers said. Another protest broke out on Wednesday afternoon after a traffic officer allegedly slapped a biker and threw his bike into the stagnated water near Tatoo Ground Batamaloo.I along with my friends was on way to our school when a traffic officer stopped me. Without checking my document he slapped me and before fleeing from the spot, dragged the bike into the stagnated water. I fail to understand what was my fault when I was even ‘wearing’ a crash helmet,” Nadeem Ahmed, a resident of Ibrahim Colony Bemina told CNS.
People protested against the police action and amid slogans blocked the road. Some police officials rushed to spot and pacified the protesters. SP Traffic Srinagar city, Maqsood-ul-Zaman told CNS that stray Sumo and Tavera drivers run illegally in the city and it is the duty of the traffic cops to prevent them from abusing the law. “As far as the Tatoo ground incident is concerned, they were three on bike and and all were without crash helmets. They didn’t stop when asked to do so. Our message is loud and clear and we are going to take strict action against the offenders,” he said. (CNS)