Mumbai: Ola driver abuses traffic cop who stopped him in Bandra

Ashraf Ansari's cab which was stopped at Turner Road

An Ola driver, apparently under the influence of drugs, has been held for jumping a signal on Bandra's busy Turner Road, bringing his car to a screeching halt while endangering other motorists and pedestrians crossing the signal, and also assaulting an on-duty traffic police constable.

The incident took place on November 6 at around 9:30 pm and the driver, identified as Ashraf Ali Sikandar Ansari, 28, was driving towards the junction of Linking Road and Turner Road in Bandra West.

"The Ola cab jumped the traffic signal and almost ran into other motorists and pedestrians before applying the brakes. There was chaos as people got scared. An on-duty traffic police constable came to the spot and confronted the driver along with the crowd, said an eye-witness.

When Constable Shivaji Vatane of Bandra traffic division asked for the car's documents and his driving licence, Ansari verbally abused him. Vatane said that Ansari told him, "Who are you and why should I give you my documents?. His eyes were bloodshot. When I tried to click a picture of his vehicle, he snatched my mobile and continued the verbal abuse. I leaned inside his car to switch the ignition off and took the key out when he pushed me very hard. I fell and injured my elbow," Vatane said. Vatane also said that Ansari appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

While speaking to mid-day, he also said that when Ansari was apprehended, he was active on the Ola app. Considering the situation, Vatane alerted the police control room seeking reinforcements and along with a traffic warden, prevented Ansari from fleeing. Soon, teams from the Bandra traffic division and Bandra police station reached the spot and Ansari was hauled to the police station. A case under Sections 353 (assaulting a public servant), 504 (intentional insult to breach peace), 506 (intimidation), 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicle Act was filed and Ansari, a resident of Govandi, was arrested.

An officer from Bandra traffic division told mid-day that Ola drivers have been observed to be creating a nuisance in the city. "They are supposed to be gentle and humble but in many recent cases they have been extremely rude," said the traffic police officer. mid-day reached out to an Ola spokesperson regarding the matter, but they did not comment.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates