Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Police has roped in its personnel as traffic sentinels to click pictures of traffic violators. Cops have been asked to click and send pictures of traffic violations to the traffic control room in Panjim.
In Panjim commuters were left confused and embarrassed when traffic police stopped them and instead of issuing a challan clicked their picture. However, traffic police have also been issuing challans on the streets.
Commuter Naresh Salgaonkar said he was issued a challan at the Divja Circle while proceeding to the city and was again stopped near the ferry point by traffic police and his picture clicked for not wearing a helmet.
A lady commuter, Shraddha Pai, was shocked when she was stopped by traffic police and her photograph clicked. “I was shocked wondering why they clicked a picture of a lady riding a bike. I was sitting behind my sister, it is embarrassing in a crowd when the police stop a lady and click a picture,” she said. “I would rather stop and pay the fine if I have violated traffic rules but this is not acceptable,” she added.
Cops in uniform all over Goa are now stopping commuters and clicking pictures. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Dharmesh Angle said cops who will be sending traffic violation pictures won’t be rewarded. He added that constables don’t have powers to issue challans and hence they have been asked to click pictures. “I will brief them again”, he said when informed that traffic cops stop commuters and click pictures.
