SRINAGAR: An IPS officer and Inspector General of Traffic Jammu and Kashmir has earned himself the titles of “Dabang” and “Singham” for his way of controlling traffic and hauling up traffic violators in Jammu.
After taking over as Inspector General of Traffic on February 9 this year, Basant Rath has become a thorn in the eyes of those who were used to VIP culture.
On the first day of his new job, Rath seized an Audi car from the family of two senior IPS officers. He recently seized a police Gypsy for not having the number plate.
Rath can often be seen directing traffic in the streets of Jammu, dressed in muftis instead of his uniform. Videos and pictures of him managing traffic at busy junctions in Jammu have become viral on social media.
However, there have also been complaints that he gets violent and abuses drivers violating traffic rules. Following these complaints, J&K police chief S P Vaid on February 22 warned Rath to mend his style of working.
“A number of videos, posts and pictures are being circulated on social media in which you are seen moving in civvies on roads, doing strange activities unwarranted of a police officer. These are not only illegal but are unbecoming of a police officer. You are hereby advised and warned to refrain from such acts in future… Any violation to these directions shall be viewed seriously and action under law shall be initiated against you,” Vaid told Rath in an official communication.
Sources said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti handpicked Rath for the post despite a controversy over his “anti-national” writings on an online portal.
Rath is outspoken and was very active on Twitter, which has, however, been inactive since February 21. After taking over as Inspector General of Traffic, he had tweeted, “Awareness? I’ll make things difficult for law-breakers. No matter what.”
In another tweet, he said, “If you are rich enough to own a vehicle, you should be intelligent enough to know the traffic rules.”
On being called “Singham” and “Dabang”, he tweeted, “Dear media guys, please keep this business of Singham and Dabangg to yourselves. I am Basant. And it is a brand. My ma chose it for me.”
On traffic police personnel approaching politicians for transfers, he tweeted, “Dear traffic cops, if you need a transfer, I am just a text away. And I am accountable to you. Please keep politics and politicians out of this. Let us play it straight. Like Rahul Dravid.”