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The Rape of Goa - A photo documentary
by
Rajan P. Parrikar
Venue: Menezes Braganza Art Gallery, Panjim, May 21-24, 2008
http://www.parrikar.org/misc/doc-notice.pdf
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If anyone had to say 'Traffic Cops' in Goa have become 'Traffic Murderers',
there would be hardly any reaction from the listener/s. They would say "This is
actually so. So what is a big deal???".
But if one had to say "Traffic Cops in Goa have become the murderers of the
commuters (riders) right on the roads and Highways', they would scoff at it
and dismiss it as pure fabrication.
No, it is no fabrication. In fact this is very much true. This actually
happened at around 4.00 -4-30 p.m. at the Porvorim section of the NH-17 ( very
close to Ashwin Garage).
As is the usual haunt of the 'Police Interceptor', which entire exercise is
nothing but to collect money for their own pockets and those of the Transport
Minister by way of extortion on the Highways , the Interceptor No. 4
(GA-01-1380) was parked on the Sangolda side of the NH-17 very close to the
huge banyan tree growing over the temple gumpti, a little away from Ashwin
Garage. As usual, the only work this interceptor or all interceptors do is to
fine helmetless riders which believed is done so that the fined riders may be
reminded to use the helmets henceforth and save their lives. But the actual
purpose seems to be: Stop !, Pay the fine or else Die.
Two fateful vehicles were caught in the attention net of the interceptor cops
who were waiting for a bakra. A maruti Alto coming from the 'JMJ' road
proceeding towards Panjim and a scooterist with a pillion rider, both
helmetless approaching the cops from the Panjim end. The scooterist had
increased his speed to zoom past the cop signalling him to stop. But seeing
that the scootrist was in no mood to stop, the unthinkable thing happened. The
cop stepped one step towards the middle dividing line and raised his foot as if
to kick the scooterist. The scooterist swerved and went bang onto the
approching Alto, spilling them both. If the Alto did not swerve to the left
with screeching tires, both the lads would be under the wheels and smashed. But
that is not all. The interceptor cops instead of attending to the injured lads
just took off and desappeared into thin air.
I get a call. It was my son. He was following his friends in the Alto to Panjim
on his two wheeler. He called me because the cop tried to kick the scooterist
off the road and thereafter disappeared instead of attending to the injured.
First thing I told my son is to wait there for me. Then I called SP North,
Bosco George, explained to him about the interceptor's misdeeds and the
injured. He directed me to SP Traffic Mr. Arvind Gawas. Mr. Gawas promised to
send the cops immediately. When I arrived at Porvorim from Moira the cops had
come. Luckily the boys were not injured badly, who by then were sent to the
hospital for treatment.
The scooter and the car were both badly damaged. I have told Mr. Arvind Gawas
that the interceptor and the two cops must be taken to task and that I will see
to it that they are identified and punished.
I did try to get HCN to the spot but the reporter was not in the immediate
vicinity.
This is a very serious offence on the part of the Traffic police who is
supposed to be the guardiam angel of commuters against accidents and for their
safety. All that the Traffic Police must do is warn the helmetless that it is
in their very own interest to wear the helmets and not extract money from them.
At the most what needs to be done is that in case the helmetless rider meets
with an accident, fatal or otherwise, the insurance or the govt grant for
fatality should be forfeited.
A cop certainly cannot make the speeding rider on a busy highway stop by
trying to kick him off the bike. Can he????
This is Goa that is now increasingly termed as a TOILET. What a shame indeed.
I shall not rest until these two cops manning the Interceptor No.4 - May 21
between 4.00 and 6.00 p.m are severely punished for this cruel act of
inhumanity. The least that the Traffic Department can do is to have both these
cops forfeit their one month's salaries in addition to demotion from the
existing ranks, as a deterrent against such behaviour in the future.
If this is not happening soon, this case is going to find its way in the High
Court of Bombay to seek redress and justice from this cruel department called
the Traffic Police department.
floriano
goasuraj
