PERNEM: In a shocking display of callousness, the Pernem Traffic Police left a group of 20 terrified tourists, including a pregnant woman, two ailing individuals, and four women, stranded on a deserted highway for hours, without food or shelter, after impounding their vehicles as part of a drunk-driving crackdown.
The incident unfolded on Friday evening at around 6 pm when the traffic police launched a special campaign against drunk driving on the highway at Nhaybag Poraske.
Two four-wheelers were flagged down, and both drivers were found to be under the influence of alcohol. Prompt action was taken against them, including impounding their vehicles and taking them to the police station. However, shockingly, the passengers, tourists from Latur in Maharashtra, were left stranded on the highway with no provisions for accommodation or food. The group included children, four women, a pregnant woman and two sick individuals.
Ranjana Hasure, one of the passengers, expressed her dismay, questioning the authorities’ negligence towards the safety and well-being of the passengers, particularly women.
“While our drivers were taken into custody, we were abandoned without any concern for our safety,” said Hasure.
Pernem Traffic PI Bishwajit Chodankar defended the actions of the men in uniform.
“There is a necessity to crackdown on drunk driving to prevent accidents. However, there was oversight in not arranging accommodation for the stranded passengers. There is a need for a more considerate approach, especially towards women,” said Chodankar.
Local residents who learned about the tourists’ plight in the morning expressed sympathy and concern over the lack of support provided to them. Advocate Jitendra Gaonkar, a local resident, lamented the situation, acknowledging the duty of the police but also expressing dismay over the passengers, especially women, being left to sleep on the streets.
The incident has sparked outrage among the community, raising questions about the authorities’ handling of such situations and the need for better protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in police actions.
