Those who pass by Worli's busy roads — the one from Glaxo towards Podar Hospital and a little beyond — will be intrigued to see posters of a traffic constable dotting the stretch
Those who pass by Worli's busy roads — the one from Glaxo towards Podar Hospital and a little beyond — will be intrigued to see posters of a traffic constable dotting the stretch. If you are a pedestrian, or even a motorist, it will be worth your time to stop and read these posters. They are a tribute to traffic constable Vilas Shinde, who recently succumbed to a head injury in a shocking attack in the city.
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A little over a week ago, the traffic police chief had deployed cops at various petrol pumps to collect data of all vehicles and motorists in the city. On August 23, at a petrol pump in Khar, an argument ensued between constable Shinde and a teenage biker, who then picked up a wooden staff and hit Shinde on the head and fled the scene.
Constable Shinde's death and incidents such as these must make us see the larger picture — few tears are shed for men and women who die in the line of duty in our country. While human rights activists are quick to highlight police-inflicted brutalities — not to say that they do not exist — we don't see the same people fighting for cops or even their families when a common man inflicts harm on them. This imbalance and injustice needs to be addressed.
The attack on Constable Shinde is a reflection of the indiscipline on our roads. The biker was a minor, without a helmet and he clearly displayed absolute disrespect for rules and for life in general. Should our traffic cops gear up in armour now to nab culprits on bikes or cars?
As the festive season kicks in, challenges are bound to increase for our security forces. It is, therefore, necessary to try to adhere to rules and regulations, as pedestrians as well as vehicle owners. It's fine to put up posters and banners, but the common man can only pay homage to Shinde by respecting traffic laws.