Bhubaneswar Top Cop Calls For ‘Responsible’ Media Reporting On Traffic Violations

Bhubaneswar: Taking a dim view of some media houses eulogising traffic violators as ‘martyrs’, Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi on Thursday called for responsible reporting of such stories.

“We again request media houses not to encourage violation of traffic laws by inventing justifications for violations & one-sided reportage,” Sarangi tweeted.

“Improving traffic situation and traffic safety is a collective responsibility of society. Let not TRP be more important than public safety,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, several media outlets had gone on an overdrive to castigate a traffic inspector for intercepting a woman scooterist for driving on the wrong side of a road in Bhubaneswar.

The reports had painted the policeman as a villain by alleging that he had forced the woman to fall at his feet and beg to go home.

However, the police administration and government supported the policeman’s action against the traffic violator.

In her reaction, DCP (Traffic) Sagarika Nath said that driving on the wrong side of the road is a non-compoundable offence as per which a policeman could arrest the violator without a warrant.

Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera said, “No question of ‘dabangiri’ arises if the woman has violated the law. Saving lives is the responsibility of the government; people disobeying traffic rules are putting their lives in danger. Breaking rules and arguing with police is not acceptable. The rules will be implemented strictly from March 1.”