Bangalore Cop Gets Booked By Another Cop For Wearing Half-Helmet, Netizens Point Out 7 Other Violations

The Bangalore Traffic Police are notoriously known for the regulations and the fines they have imposed on the violators. Residents have frequently pinpointed how the officers can be found in every nook and corner, conducting random checks on vehicles and the riders. However, it is rare to see the officers book other fellow officers on the same level of violations. 

Turning this narrative around, Bengaluru's RT Nagar Traffic Police posted a tweet where a police officer can be seen being booked by another cop for wearing a half helmet, which is prohibited on the city roads.

The tweet garnered a mixed set of reactions and saw several netizens dig deeper to find the previous violations, pollution certificates, and so on of the vehicle using the image that was posted. 

Helmets To Evade Fines Rather Than Provide Protection

The image, which is now going viral on social media, shows the cop wearing a prohibited helmet while travelling around the locality of RT Nagar in Bangalore. Tweeting the image with the caption, "Good evening. Half helmet case booked against police", the police were able to drive attention to the existing helmet laws in the country. 

Bangalore city police had on many occasions said that half helmets or non-ISI certified helmets will be considered as 'no helmets' in the city. The helmet laws in the country also state that wearing a half helmet is not allowed as it does not offer "optimal protection to the head".

An article by Tata AIG highlights the specifications mandated in terms of full-face helmets under Section 129(a), which also has Government issued guidelines for all helmet manufacturers in India to make helmets that comply with the Indian Standards (BIS) and the 2021 helmet rule in India.

Many incidents have been reported in the past where riders wearing half helmets were stopped and educated about the need for a helmet that provides full protection to the head. However, the message has been taken in by very few.

Several media reports had also quoted senior police officials stating that "People often blame bad road conditions for accidents. While fixing the roads is not under our control, we can avoid serious injuries if we start wearing full helmets".

Reactions From Netizens

The post received over 900 likes and 60 retweets, with several people appreciating the police officer for taking action against his fellow officer. Lauding the move, users commented that more officers should lead by his example and take unbiased decisions as "all are equal in front of the law". Few others also pointed out similar violations carried out by officers and politicians, who are left off the hook due to the position they hold.

Meanwhile, a good portion of the comments section was flooded with netizens complaining about the multiple other violations that were conducted by the police officer seen in the image. Pointing out the lack of a pollution control certificate, defective licence plate, a missing mirror, usage of earphones, and two previous violations that were not fined, users commented that the cop is liable to pay a fine that accounts up to ₹3,500 or more. 

Few others shed light on how most police employees are provided with half helmets. Calling out the department on this, a user commented, "Giving half helmet to Police staff is also a violation of traffic rules".

They also pointed out the commonality of such violations in and around RT Nagar and conveyed that motorists risk their lives every day by commuting along with violators who drive free on the roads.

Bringing this factor to their attention, a user said, "Although we certainly like to appreciate your efforts, we don't feel like appreciating because there are 100's of people who drive with half helmets, and I don't see any of them getting caught. This certainly makes us think your actions are just publicity stunts."

Also Read: Witty Posts, Real Time Updates & Awareness: How Bengaluru Police Is Harnessing Power Of Social Media To The Fullest