BHUBANESWAR: Traffic was crippled and police had to baton-charge a mob which took on the cops for ongoing enforcement against violators under Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2019 at Raj Mahal Square in the City on Saturday. The incident hit traffic movement for at least two hours before police mobilised force and dispersed the crowd which tried to regroup and even hurled bottles and stones in retaliation. An ACP rank officer and one personnel of Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) were injured in the incident. A news channel’s cameraman was injured.
During the protests, three photo journalists were allegedly manhandled by the mob. Later, they lodged a complaint with Capital police. Police Commissioner Sudhansu Sarangi rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation along with Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Sahoo and DCP, Traffic Sagarika Nath. The protesters alleged that police and Government vehicles were let off despite not abiding by the new rules while common citizens were bearing the brunt of hefty fines.
They entered into an argument with a PCR van driver and asked him to show the vehicle’s document. Some even alleged that a beer can was found in the PCR van, a charge outrightly rejected by police. Trouble started when lady reporter of a news website was fined by police for allegedly not wearing seat belt though she denied the charge and said she had merely got down from her car after seeing the crowd protesting. The irate locals, supported by a group of auto-rickshaw drivers, detained the PCR van, waylaid a Mo Bus and a Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) truck as their drivers were allegedly not wearing seat belts.
As locals continued to protest, Police Commissioner Sarangi, DCP Sahoo and other senior officers rushed to control the law and order situation. Police attributed the protests to anger among citizens for the last two to three days over hefty fines being imposed which it said is untrue. “Hefty fines are not being collected from the citizens. Fines are also not being levied for not having pollution or insurance certificates,” the Police Commissioner said. Sarangi said police is only enforcing five violations such as helmet, wrong side driving, triple riding, drunk driving and use of mobile phones and all these would continue.
BJP SLAMS GOVT FOR LATHI-CHARGE
The BJP on Saturday criticised Government for the hurried manner in which the new MV Act is implemented. “The Government should have sensitised the people first,” State BJP vicepresident Samir Mohanty said.