Ahmedabad: Woman, cop have a spat over towing

Ahmedabad: With the fear of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 hanging like the sword of Damocles over the heads of citizens, arguments and quarrels between commuters and traffic police have become a common sight on city roads. In an incident on Saturday, near Prahladnagar towing station, a 22-year-old woman and a traffic ASI had a spat that stopped just short of a scuffle.

DCP, traffic (west) Ajit Rajyani, said the woman’s two wheeler had been towed and kept at the towing station in Prahladnagar. “When she went there the traffic ASI in charge of the towing station asked her to pay the fine, but she refused. She said her scooter was picked by the towing squad from a place where other vehicles were parked too,” said Rajyani.

The altercation between the ASI and the woman ultimately ended up at Anandnagar police station where both were ready to lodge complaints against each other. The woman, however, insisted that her complaint against the ASI should be made under Section 354 of the IPC (assault or use of criminal force against woman with the intention to outrage her modesty) which is a non-bailable offence. At this, the drama took an U-turn and both backtracked from lodging complaints.

Rajyani said statements of both the woman and the traffic ASI and also that of eyewitnesses are being taken. “Nothing like a scuffle beween the two has come to surface. Till now, no complaint has been registered,” Rajyani added.