Complaints are raining against Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Jammu for misbehaving and roughing up ‘traffic violators’.
A number of complaints have been filed against IGP Traffic, Jammu Basant Rath for his recent ‘misdemeanor’ of taking on some ‘traffic violators’ by using filthy language against them besides roughing them up.
A number of complaints against Rath have already been registered with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Minister for Law and Justice, Abdul Haq Khan, Minister of State for Law and Justice, Ajay Nanda, Director General of Police, Sheesh Paul Vaid, and the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell.
A group of citizens led by a lawyer Nitin Bakhshi also filed complaints against Rath with the Chief Minister stating that he had been misbehaving with the people using filthy language and kicking and punching them.
In his complaint, Bakhshi writes that Rath seemed to be inspired by Bollywood movies like Singham and Dabaang and uses social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter to exploit people who he misbehaves with. The complainant has urged the government to attach the IGP Traffic, Jammu at the earliest as he was not good with public and social dealing.
“He is always seen on roads without sporting uniform and instigating people by abusing them,” the complaint mentions. “If he sees any person without helmet or driving without belt, he starts abusing them and starts using violence against them, which is not permissible under the law.”
The complainant writes that at times it becomes hard to know whether Rath was a police officer or a gangster in uniform terrorizing people. Earlier, Rath had seized a car of an IPS officer’s son he almost barged his vehicle into the IGP Traffic’s vehicle.
Rath took to social networking site Facebook to narrate the incident posting: “I made a complaint today. A first. In personal capacity as the traffic chief. Please forgive my weak grammar. I’ll improve by March 2020 (sic).”
In the complaint to SHO Gandhi Nagar Sunil Singh, Rath wrote that Angad, who identified himself as IGP Personnel (Police Headquarters) J P Singh’s son, was driving his Audi car “backward on the main road in front of the police headquarters…He almost barged into my official vehicle.”
The IGP Traffic said when he asked Angad to give his car papers to the traffic police, the young man misbehaved with the officer and dropped names of his father and father-in-law, and started creating a scene.
On the other hand, Angad filed a counter complaint against Rath and in his complaint to Police said his Audi car was forcibly taken away by a person in civilian dress. Rath had asked the SHO to take appropriate action against Angad.
Earlier, Rath had also generated controversy with his statement saying, “Using helmets while driving was like using condoms as both were meant for protection.” This had infuriated the Congress legislator from Bandipora, Usman Majeed who reacted saying, “Which state gives such a sensitive post to such a mad officer.”
Majeed urged upon the State government to immediately attach Rath. “J&K government should take action against him (Rath) and send him to a mental asylum so that he is treated there,” he said. “The mad officer needs necessary psychiatric treatment.”
Majeed said if the government did not remove “such a mad officer, then this government is also mad as he is indulging in brawls with one person or the other”. The Congress legislator said Rath was harasses women, kicking their scooters and cars.
“Not only should the government attach him immediately but also send him to the mental asylum,” he said. Rath did not respond to the questions of Kashmir Post saying, “You are troubling me with your questions.”
