A Guy almost mowed down A Traffic Constable and paid for it

prateekm · 14th May 2010, 15:06

Location : Majiwada Signal, Thane

Time : 9:10 am on 14th May.

The Scene : The traffic constable stopped our side of traffic and allowed the vehicles under the Majiwada bridge to go towards Kapurbawdi junction. He suddenly spotted a young guy in a WagonR talking on his bluetooth while driving. So he just raised his hand to signal the guy to stop. This guy looked at the constable, and doesn't care to stop. Now in order to stop this guy, the constable leaps in front of his bonnet. There was a considerable distance for the guy to stop but no, he doesn't care. Instead of tires sreeching to a halt, the guy continues driving. The constable is running backward with his hands on the bonnet and shouting expletives to stop the car.

The constable somehow manages to come out from the path of the car and tries whistling so that the cops near the next nearby signal (the one that leads to Pokhran 2) could stop him. In a spontaneous decision, I and the Scorpio guy next to me took our vehicles forward to obstruct his path. The guy understood that he was trapped and the car screeches to a halt.

What happens next : He tries to run but he can't since he was surrounded by vehicles. Some people tell him to come out of the car and settle it. No effect, he doesn't budge. The mob then does what is expected, break his windshield. Now, he had no other option than to come out and experience the wrath of the police and the mob. First things first. His bluetooth device is broken into more fragments than the windshield glass. The car keys were thrown somewhere on the other side of the highway. And boy, I haven't seen anybody being beaten so black and blue. His co-passenger (I guess his wife) was sobbing at one corner. So in the end, he lost his bluetooth device, went home bare-chested, 1 swollen eye and blood on numerous places. About the mob? Well they disappeared within 5 minutes of the incident.

I feel that though the constable was stupid on his part to risk his life, the mob gave the guy what he deserved

Samurai · 14th May 2010, 15:14

Deserved or not, I don't think mob justice should be applauded. In most cases mob justice is totally misguided.

aka_iitd · 14th May 2010, 15:19

Talking on blue tooth device / hand free is an offense. I think it is allowed.

sreedotk · 14th May 2010, 15:19

I am sorry to say but i dont agree to the point of view.

The guy in question might have been wrong but it does not give others any right to get involved in a situation that does not concern them. It was not that those involved were good Samaritans. It was just a mob mentality and every one decided to have a go.

What the individual did was no way wrong enough to get a mob involved. All the cop needed to do was write down the regn number and sort it out later in a legal issue.

I don't want to add what i think of the other half of the incident as i don't think that it was a good deed done with the result involved .

Conan · 14th May 2010, 15:19

This is outrageous. Goes to show that we have a long way to go in Civility.
The guy might have broken the law, but the people have no right to destroy private property.
And we should as a responsible community condem such acts rather than praise it.

pramodkumar · 14th May 2010, 15:20

@Prateek, god forbid if he was someone known to you then? I would say the mob has no right to touch the guy, i would say he can register a case against the cop who was watching/ particpating in voilance against this guy. I feel ver bad about viglante justice, even worse when it happens infront of a cop

.

Pramod

anekho · 14th May 2010, 15:22

+1 to Samurai.

Mobs beating on people do it just for the "fun" of it without understanding the circumstances. Nothing worse than an angry mob on the loose!

Anyways, the guy should have stopped in the first place but as samurai says, mob justice is not the answer.

Edsel Rulez! · 14th May 2010, 15:25

I can't decide what shocked me more -- the mob's reaction, or a team-bhpian applauding it. Even if the constable had been run over, this isn't how the matter should be resolved. The errant driver should have been arrested and some of the onlookers should have volunteered to be witnesses so that he doesn't get away after paying a paltry bail amount. It's scary how we have become so attuned to applauding mob rule. Please remember that mobs may dispense swift justice, but there's no guarantee they'd be on the right, legal side. I'm reminded of a recent post from someone in Pune who described how he was beaten up by a mob after he came out of his car to investigate a hit-and-run case.

DRIV3R · 14th May 2010, 15:25

Why take the law into your hands?

prateekm · 14th May 2010, 15:26

I agree, the mob shouldn't have reacted as they did and they should mind their own business. But then, if the guy has the guts to mow down the constable, he should be treated in the same way. He never cared about the constable's life, right? It was very clear here that the guy was trying to escape the fine without caring about the constable.

Quote:

The errant driver should have been arrested and some of the onlookers should have volunteered to be witnesses so that he doesn't get away after paying a paltry bail amount.

In India, one can get a bail so easily. Take the case of the one who mowed down a constable in her CR-V. She admitted herself to an hospital and then got a bail easily. Sorry, but I don't trust the law in India in such cases.

v.anand · 14th May 2010, 15:32

I agree with most here, nobody holds any right to destroy private property and manhandle anyone. What the WagonR guy did was a traffic violation, heck he wasn't any criminal. IMO, the move on your part to block the guy unless he had hit the cop and injured him or other vehicles, was unnecessary. The cops in India have a long way to go along with some training in handling situations.

P.S.: Disrespect to law is disrespect towards country. Sorry for preaching, but your statement about not trusting law makes you as much ignorant towards it as that other guy who didn't stop to cop. How difficult is it for the cop to trace the violating car and press charges for violation as well as not stopping? Indian law is very vast my friend. Justice will ultimately prevail.

HammerHead · 14th May 2010, 15:33

If the guy was wrong so does the traffic police and other 'cops' and the mob. Traffic police and cops cause they could not control the situation. If this is how someone to be punished for his/her mistake then why should we have law and cops to implement it??

I personally didn't like it.

Fordmanchau · 14th May 2010, 15:38

Agree with @samurai, @conan, @edsel and @anekho.
The traffice constable was foolish to risk his life like that. He could have very well signalled to the constables standing other side of the signal to stop the car and reprimand the guy for talking over the phone and not stopping when signalled.
This mob justice mentality is just too sick.
IMO,Prateek,this is not in good light.The situation could have easily gone out of hand.Imagine what could have happened if people in the crowd manhandled even the lady passenger too.
The guy was at mistake, he should have been reprimanded, but not this way.

abhinav.s · 14th May 2010, 15:48

Agree with most posts here. It is not a thing to be applauded.

Being beaten to pulp for a traffic offense!! God, where is civility??

If his intention was to mow down the cop, he would have done it rather than move slowly so that the cop has time to run backwards and then jump out of the way.

I dont support the guy who broke the traffic rule but totally against this mob justice mentality!

dadu · 14th May 2010, 16:17

- The guy shouldve stopped and paid fine, than ending up like this
- The constable should've just noted his number and sent a challan by post then threatening his own life.
- The mob shouldve just carried on with their life.

But who cares about the law and whats the right thing to do here.

14th May 2010, 15:06	#1
prateekm BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Mumbai & BLR Posts: 790 Thanked: 553 Times	A Guy almost mowed down A Traffic Constable and paid for it Location : Majiwada Signal, Thane Time : 9:10 am on 14th May. The Scene : The traffic constable stopped our side of traffic and allowed the vehicles under the Majiwada bridge to go towards Kapurbawdi junction. He suddenly spotted a young guy in a WagonR talking on his bluetooth while driving. So he just raised his hand to signal the guy to stop. This guy looked at the constable, and doesn't care to stop. Now in order to stop this guy, the constable leaps in front of his bonnet. There was a considerable distance for the guy to stop but no, he doesn't care. Instead of tires sreeching to a halt, the guy continues driving. The constable is running backward with his hands on the bonnet and shouting expletives to stop the car. The constable somehow manages to come out from the path of the car and tries whistling so that the cops near the next nearby signal (the one that leads to Pokhran 2) could stop him. In a spontaneous decision, I and the Scorpio guy next to me took our vehicles forward to obstruct his path. The guy understood that he was trapped and the car screeches to a halt. What happens next : He tries to run but he can't since he was surrounded by vehicles. Some people tell him to come out of the car and settle it. No effect, he doesn't budge. The mob then does what is expected, break his windshield. Now, he had no other option than to come out and experience the wrath of the police and the mob. First things first. His bluetooth device is broken into more fragments than the windshield glass. The car keys were thrown somewhere on the other side of the highway. And boy, I haven't seen anybody being beaten so black and blue. His co-passenger (I guess his wife) was sobbing at one corner. So in the end, he lost his bluetooth device, went home bare-chested, 1 swollen eye and blood on numerous places. About the mob? Well they disappeared within 5 minutes of the incident. I feel that though the constable was stupid on his part to risk his life, the mob gave the guy what he deserved
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14th May 2010, 15:14	#2
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,895 Thanked: 46,302 Times View My Garage	Deserved or not, I don't think mob justice should be applauded. In most cases mob justice is totally misguided.
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14th May 2010, 15:19	#3
aka_iitd BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 630 Thanked: 46 Times	Talking on blue tooth device / hand free is an offense. I think it is allowed.
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14th May 2010, 15:19	#4
sreedotk BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 248 Thanked: 90 Times	I am sorry to say but i dont agree to the point of view. The guy in question might have been wrong but it does not give others any right to get involved in a situation that does not concern them. It was not that those involved were good Samaritans. It was just a mob mentality and every one decided to have a go. What the individual did was no way wrong enough to get a mob involved. All the cop needed to do was write down the regn number and sort it out later in a legal issue. I don't want to add what i think of the other half of the incident as i don't think that it was a good deed done with the result involved .
	() Thanks

14th May 2010, 15:19	#5
Conan BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 223 Thanked: 0 Times	Outrageous! This is outrageous. Goes to show that we have a long way to go in Civility. The guy might have broken the law, but the people have no right to destroy private property. And we should as a responsible community condem such acts rather than praise it.
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14th May 2010, 15:20	#6
pramodkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gods own country Posts: 2,302 Thanked: 2,234 Times View My Garage	@Prateek, god forbid if he was someone known to you then? I would say the mob has no right to touch the guy, i would say he can register a case against the cop who was watching/ particpating in voilance against this guy. I feel ver bad about viglante justice, even worse when it happens infront of a cop. Pramod
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14th May 2010, 15:22	#7
anekho Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: . Posts: 1,997 Thanked: 685 Times	+1 to Samurai. Mobs beating on people do it just for the "fun" of it without understanding the circumstances. Nothing worse than an angry mob on the loose! Anyways, the guy should have stopped in the first place but as samurai says, mob justice is not the answer.
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14th May 2010, 15:25	#8
Edsel Rulez! BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 210 Thanked: 25 Times	I can't decide what shocked me more -- the mob's reaction, or a team-bhpian applauding it. Even if the constable had been run over, this isn't how the matter should be resolved. The errant driver should have been arrested and some of the onlookers should have volunteered to be witnesses so that he doesn't get away after paying a paltry bail amount. It's scary how we have become so attuned to applauding mob rule. Please remember that mobs may dispense swift justice, but there's no guarantee they'd be on the right, legal side. I'm reminded of a recent post from someone in Pune who described how he was beaten up by a mob after he came out of his car to investigate a hit-and-run case. Last edited by Edsel Rulez! : 14th May 2010 at 15:31.
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14th May 2010, 15:25	#9
DRIV3R Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: India Posts: 1,911 Thanked: 2,265 Times	Why take the law into your hands?
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14th May 2010, 15:32	#11
v.anand BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 331 Thanked: 47 Times	I agree with most here, nobody holds any right to destroy private property and manhandle anyone. What the WagonR guy did was a traffic violation, heck he wasn't any criminal. IMO, the move on your part to block the guy unless he had hit the cop and injured him or other vehicles, was unnecessary. The cops in India have a long way to go along with some training in handling situations. P.S.: Disrespect to law is disrespect towards country. Sorry for preaching, but your statement about not trusting law makes you as much ignorant towards it as that other guy who didn't stop to cop. How difficult is it for the cop to trace the violating car and press charges for violation as well as not stopping? Indian law is very vast my friend. Justice will ultimately prevail. Last edited by v.anand : 14th May 2010 at 15:42.
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14th May 2010, 15:33	#12
HammerHead Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Goan in Pune Posts: 1,251 Thanked: 644 Times View My Garage	If the guy was wrong so does the traffic police and other 'cops' and the mob. Traffic police and cops cause they could not control the situation. If this is how someone to be punished for his/her mistake then why should we have law and cops to implement it?? I personally didn't like it.
	() Thanks

14th May 2010, 15:38	#13
Fordmanchau Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,666 Thanked: 340 Times	Agree with @samurai, @conan, @edsel and @anekho. The traffice constable was foolish to risk his life like that. He could have very well signalled to the constables standing other side of the signal to stop the car and reprimand the guy for talking over the phone and not stopping when signalled. This mob justice mentality is just too sick. IMO,Prateek,this is not in good light.The situation could have easily gone out of hand.Imagine what could have happened if people in the crowd manhandled even the lady passenger too. The guy was at mistake, he should have been reprimanded, but not this way.
	() Thanks

14th May 2010, 15:48	#14
abhinav.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: B'lore,Coorg Posts: 2,776 Thanked: 1,280 Times	Agree with most posts here. It is not a thing to be applauded. Being beaten to pulp for a traffic offense!! God, where is civility?? If his intention was to mow down the cop, he would have done it rather than move slowly so that the cop has time to run backwards and then jump out of the way. I dont support the guy who broke the traffic rule but totally against this mob justice mentality!
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14th May 2010, 16:17	#15
dadu Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,803 Thanked: 462 Times View My Garage	- The guy shouldve stopped and paid fine, than ending up like this - The constable should've just noted his number and sent a challan by post then threatening his own life. - The mob shouldve just carried on with their life. But who cares about the law and whats the right thing to do here.
	() Thanks