Traffic cop's 'fine' proves costly for him

The incident took place on Wednesday when the members of Davangere Scouts and Guides had been to Kodagu for a nature study and trekking excursion.  The students’ team arrived at Raja Seat in the noon after visiting Talacauvery, Bhagamandala and other tourist spots. The bus drivers parked the four buses in the nearby parking lot by paying a fee of Rs 200 (Rs 50 each) for which they had obtained receipts too.

In the meantime, as per the request of District Scouts and Guides Chief Commissioner K T Baby Mathew, the buses were taken to Gandhi Maidan near St Michael’s School since Mathew wanted to give chocolates to the children. Meanwhile, the City Traffic SI Chikkarajushetty arrived there and collected Rs 100 each from all the four bus drivers and left the place without giving any receipts.

The drivers brought the issue to the notice of the conveners of Scouts and Guides. Baby Mathew who is also the member of the City Municipal Council got angry at this and complained the same to SP Manjunath Annigeri over telephone.

Within a few minutes, the SI Chikkarajushetty rushed to the spot and told Mathew that a fine of Rs 100 each had been collected from the drivers for they did not wear any uniform. He even asked an assistant, who had come along with him, to give receipts to the amounts collected.

However, Mathew took the cop into task for not giving the receipt as soon as he collected the ‘fine’. “Why did you not give them receipts as and when you collected the amount? Why are you tarnishing the image of Kodagu by collecting money illegally from the tourists like this?” he questioned. Later, the SI gave the money back to the drivers for which he had not given any receipt earlier, and left the place.

In the meantime, Mathew alleged that Rs 50 is being collected as parking fee from the tourist vehicles near Raja Seat though the CMC prescribed fee is just Rs 25.  “It is a day-light robbery. Even the receipts given to the buses of the Scouts and Guides do not have any serial numbers and the CMC seal. The issue will be drawn to the attention of the CMC,” he said.