The year 2023 has seen an increase in attacks on traffic police officers, who are on duty. The number of these incidents has jumped from 19 in 2022 to 29 by November 28, 2023.
This raise questions about the safety of traffic police officers, who are responsible for managing traffic on roads.
Traffic police officers play an important role in making vehicles and pedestrians safe. But there has been a rising disrespect for authorities and public safety. Offenders are charged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 353 and can face up to two years in prison.
The reported cases this year so far stand at 29, but the actual number could be higher. Many minor instances of verbal abuse, which are also considered violence, often go unnoticed, officials stated.
The nature of these attacks ranges from physical assaults to verbal abuse. Some attacks also result in serious, sometimes fatal, injuries. This jeopardises the safety of the officers by interrupting traffic control measures.
Earlier this year, in March, two individuals attacked a Kurla-based constable who had stopped them for running a red light and not wearing a helmet. The incident happened on Kurla West's LBS Road, close to the Kurla Depot signal. They started attacking the constable when he proceeded to snap their photo for the e-challan. The incident was captured on camera, and the video quickly gained popularity.
Mumbai Police Traffic police constable assaulted at Kurla, Traffic cop questioned a bike rider for jumping the signal, bike rider assaulted and abused the constable. pic.twitter.com/ZsNVI6ueOe
— ℝ𝕒𝕛 𝕄𝕒𝕛𝕚 (@Rajmajiofficial) March 12, 2023
In response to such incidents, the traffic division has introduced safety measures like body-worn cameras. These cameras help collect evidence of these instances.
Currently, the authorities are looking at the situation and then work on implementing policies accordingly. Considering the report, the number is expected to rise until the end of the year.
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