Instant suspension for traffic cops who use phone or sit idle on duty

No checking of vehicles for breaking rules during peak hour

From now on, a traffic policeman found shirking work or showing high-handedness, especially during peak hour, will be suspended on the spot.

In the first such instance, four traffic policemen, including two sub-inspectors, have been suspended as they were caught engaging in other activities and not regulating traffic. Two more policemen are likely to be suspended.

The top brass wants the policemen to focus on regulating traffic during peak hour rather than check vehicles for breaking rules. It found that policemen don’t even go to the traffic junction and instead sit in the police station.

The four suspended policemen, while on duty during peak hour, were seen talking or browsing the Internet on their mobile phones, sipping tea standing under a tree or booking motorists for more traffic violations than they had committed. They were suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday. “They were not doing their duty promptly,” a top police officer told Deccan Herald.

Nagaraju M, a sub-inspector attached to the KR Puram traffic police station, had stopped a maxi cab for violating a traffic rule. He sent a traffic constable along with the vehicle to the police station and even he was not found at the junction. “It was peak hour and traffic was high,” the officer added. He has been suspended.

R Shivanna, a sub-inspector attached to the Airport traffic police station, was suspended for booking a motorist for multiple violations, though he had broken just the one-way rule. When Shivanna stopped him, he produced all the documents except one.

An argument ensued and Shivanna booked him for other traffic violations he had not committed. The issue came to the notice of senior officers and an investigation was carried out. Accordingly, Shivanna was suspended.

Jai Maruthi, a constable attached to the Shivajinagar traffic police, was suspended as he allowed vehicles in a no-parking zone in front of Empire Hotel.

Mohammed Azhar Khan, a constable with the Cubbon Park traffic police station, was suspended as he was seen talking on mobile phone near Siddalingaiah Circle. He didn’t care to man the busy traffic junction.

S K Baba, DCP, Traffic (East), confirmed that the four policemen were caught shirking job during a surprise check. “We have observed that many policemen are busy with their mobile phones or stop motorists randomly and ask them for documents. We have clearly instructed them not to check vehicles during peak hour unless they notice something really suspicious or blatant traffic violations,” Baba said.

He further said that more such checks would be conducted and any policeman shirking work would be suspended on the spot and departmental enquiry initiated against them.

The higher-ups also decided to issue strict warning to inspectors while suspending their subordinates for dereliction of duty, the officer added.