Alert netizens shame errant cops on Facebook

The hunter has become the hunted. A citizens initiative launched on Facebook to shame general traffic violators has become a platform to expose policemen breaking traffic regulations on city roads.

The Mumbai Traffic Police forum, which was launched in early August, got off to a crawling start, but by Monday evening, it was abuzz with genuine interestthere were 1,200 (and counting) fans, 44 (and rising) pictures, a few videos, and scores and scores of user posts.

Almost all users lauded the initiative and drew attention to the chaos on the citys roads, but a sizable majority also used the platform to rail against Mumbai polices own slip-ups, derelictions and disregard for law. The sites users posted numerous pictures of helmetless policemen on motorcycles, of men in khaki ignoring stop lines, of a traffic cop ostensibly accepting a bribe.
Govt official (sic) do thisthey (have) no right to arrest or fine other people...! exclaimed Aniket Mainkar, in response to a photograph of helmetless cops riding past traffic policemen holding up vehicles.

Even though (the) objective of this page is to HELP Mumbai traffic policethe photos uploaded hereshow policemen violating traffic rules. Is (the) Commissioner of Traffic/Police going to take action on (sic) these policemen, wrote one Sunil R Pansare.

The Facebook page carried the Brihanmumbai polices logo and had earlier been ascribed in some news reports to the Mumbai traffic police. But, on Monday, singed by the incriminating photos of law-flouting cops, the traffic department decided to issue a disclaimer.

We are using the page as a channel of information. Its not an official site by the Mumbai traffic police, said joint commissioner of police (traffic) Vivek Phansalkar. Its been started by a community to address issues close to their heart.

When the Delhi traffic police started a similar page on Facebook, it was a grand success. More than 5,000 pictures were posted on the page. We are contemplating doing the same thing, but we havent launched out official page yet, said Phansalkar.

Nevertheless, the ire against the ostensible upholders of law continued to flow on Facebook. Mabel Thomas summed it up best: At least now the citizens have given you a (sic) idea how to go abt... please implement asap.

If the pictures show policemen flouting laws, we will look into the matter, Phansalkar said.
nitasha.natu@timesgroup.com