Social Media is a powerful weapon for the common man today. A perfect example of which is a tweet by a user named Harmeet Batra that led to a Gurugram cop being fined for driving without a helmet. Batra had posted a complaint on his Twitter handle, asking the Gurugram police to take suitable action against a cop who was riding a bike without a helmet on.
Batra, a 28-year-old interior designer, took a picture of the cop who was riding along with another pillion rider. Both of them can be seen without their helmets on.
Batra said he was on his way to Gurugram from Delhi for a meeting when he took note of the police officer near Sikanderpur.
The young designer uploaded a picture of the cop on Tuesday evening and tagged the city police and Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram. "What to and whom to complain now? Gurugram traffic police on the patroling bike. Both without helmet. @gurgaonpolice @DC_Gurugram @HTGurgaon @timeofindia @htTweets @PMOIndia," read his tweet.
What to and whom to complain now? Gurugram traffic police on petroling bike. Both wihtout helmet. @gurgaonpolice @DC_Gurugram @HTGurgaon @timesofindia @htTweets @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/yiFatFdh0l
— Harmeet Batra (@harmeet_schedio) August 7, 2018
He made sure that the police took some relevant action and tweeted again on Wednesday morning asking the Gurugram police whether or not any action had been taken against the cop on the basis of his tweet. The police, in reply, posted a picture of a challan they had issued against the concerned police officer.
Thanks. Hope you dont mind telling us about your action towards this. Chalaan or anything
— Harmeet Batra (@harmeet_schedio) August 8, 2018
The authorities have now issued a Rs 200 challan against the cop under the Motor Vehicles Act. "Police officers are not above the law and tickets are issued for any violation," Hindustan Times quoted spokesperson of Gurugram police as saying.
Cop fined after my tweet. pic.twitter.com/13k6ybW1ij
— Harmeet Batra (@harmeet_schedio) August 9, 2018
Speaking to International Business Times, Batra said that he was a routine commuter on the route and has, on several occasions noticed police not respecting the law. He said that cops often drive on the wrong side or without a helmet but they are never fined for it whereas when a common man gets a challan for minor offences.
Batra said that he wanted to make sure that same rules were applied to the police. He added that cops should be fined ten times more than the general public. He is happy with the Gurugram police's action against the cop but feels that 200 Rupees was a small amount and they should have fined the cop for more.
He told IBT that he wishes that authorities should run another initiative of checking documents of traffic police officials. "I am sure 8 out of 10 of them will not have their proper documents like pollution check certificates, insurance papers and RCs."
