Vehicle checks: Do traffic police really obey their seniors?

State police chief Praveen Sood’s proclamation that traffic cops shall not stop vehicles merely to check documents is not the first order of its kind.

Even back in December 2021, police had stated that vehicles would not be stopped at random to check documents, and that action would be taken if commuters were harassed or delayed.

“Stopping vehicles for no reason is not right and such instances should not take place in the city,” then-city police chief Kamal Pant had said. Similar statements have been issued by other authorities.

Several months on, the reality on Bengaluru roads is very different. From alleged extortion of bribes to being stopped in congested areas on baseless suspicions, commuters say that traffic police make an already hellish journey worse for them.

Also read: Karnataka top cop says police can't stop vehicle riders unless there is visible violation of rules

“In crowded junctions like BTM Layout and Jayadeva Circle or in traffic-heavy signals at JP Nagar, Ragigudda and Jayanagar, vehicle users are frequently asked to pull over for arbitrary reasons. This slows down traffic and holds up commuters,” said Rajeev, who drives from Banashankari to Bommasandra for work.

Nishant, who lives in North Bengaluru, recalled how he and a friend were stopped near Yelahanka and asked about documents. “We were told to pay a fine because the bike’s insurance had supposedly expired. But when we checked the document before paying, we realised that wasn’t the case, and only after pointing it out and arguing for a while were we asked to go. Had we not verified it, we would have lost money for no reason,” he said.

Archana, a college student, said: “I have been stopped at Gandhi Bazaar for minor violations like glancing at my phone before starting the car and driving out of a parking lot. This is clearly an excuse to extort money. The cop demanded my licence and said he would not return it unless I transferred Rs 500 to his personal UPI number.”

Motorcyclists said they had been stopped and asked to rev their bike to check if its silencer has been altered to amp up the sound, even if there is no cause for suspicion. “It is a tedious process and often makes me late for classes,” said Tarun, a student.

Commuters also say that being unable to speak Kannada makes them more vulnerable to extortion of money as they cannot understand or negotiate with the policemen.

A senior officer who did not want to be named said that daily briefings are given to traffic personnel to never stop vehicles for document checks. “If any policeman is found doing so or any complaint against them is lodged to a police station, to DCPs or ACPs, disciplinary action is immediately taken. There is no such disregard of instructions,” the officer claimed.

While cops posted in the CBD appear to be obeying the command, a traffic volunteer acknowledged that police personnel on the outskirts weren’t so obedient.

The warden said: “Sometimes there are repeat offenders whose registered number is sent by someone from the traffic police groups, and those vehicles are stopped. It may look like they have been stopped without any visible violation, but it is not the case.”