Secure traffic cops on duty, says court
A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) court has asked the Delhi police commissioner to evolve a mechanism for the proper safety of the policemen performing duty on roads.
Presiding officer of the MACT court, Swarna Kanta Sharma, issued the order during the hearing of the case in which traffic constable Jorawar Singh was allegedly hit by a speeding car in 2009 while on duty near the Jhandewalan Mandir here.
The tribunal observed, “There is no special provision either for their (traffic cops) safety or any mechanism to guard them from such hazards. It will be in the interest of the cops if the higher ups in their department spare a thought about the safety of such police personnel and if there are no rules or safety guards to save them from such hazards, to evolve any process or mechanism which will help to further this cause.”
Rejecting the contention of the driver of the offending vehicle, that he was driving the car at a slow speed, the tribunal said, “It is prima facie clear that the accident had taken place with the offending vehicle due to the driver’s rash and negligent driving causing serious injuries to Singh.”
While awarding a total compensation of `41, 896 to Jorawar, the tribunal said, the traffic personnel do not have “any guard to defend themselves” if they are injured on being hit by a speeding vehicle while performing their duty.
The judge also said, “Policemen, assigned traffic duties, are not spared by rogue drivers, who even break barricades to run away from the spot.”
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