Pune: The allegations of police abusing their power and being a burden and a reason for fear among common people have resurfaced again in Pune city. A heartbreaking video of a youth has gone viral, where he shared his experience with policemen, almost on the verge of tears. In a pained, cracking voice, struggling to hold back tears, the youth questioned, "What is the reason for this behaviour by the policemen? Are we not even human?"
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His video has gone viral on social media currently, and Pune Police are yet again facing wrath and criticisms from netizens. The video claimed the youth was not even from Pune but from another part of Maharashtra.
According to the available details, the man was driving triple seat along with his friends. The police stopped the trio as they were obviously breaking the rules. He fined them Rs 1,000, and all was going fine until that point. However, afterwards, the policeman involved asked him for his licence. He took his licence and told him it had been seized, and he drove off in his own vehicle.
‘They Treated Me As If I'm Not Even A Human'
The speaker in the video, on the verge of tears, said, “I was breaking the rules, I agree, but they seized my license. I am not saying anything regarding the fines they imposed on me, but taking away my licence was too far. I begged the official to give it back to me, but he didn't. I ran and chased after him desperately for two kilometres, but he still didn't give me my licence back.”
“I pleaded to him that I'm a normal citizen. I am a poor man. I pleaded not to seize my licence, but he treated me as if I were not even a human. I felt really bad about this. I looked up the rules, and I don't think that for such an offence police can seize a licence. I know he was doing his duty, but this was an abuse of power,” said the youth.
The youth added, “I know he was doing his duty, but when a public servant forgets his duty and the person with whom he is dealing is also a human and doesn't treat them according to it... That's when people get cursed. That policeman will get my wrath. I can't speak any more than this.”
‘Police Are Meant To Protect Citizens'
The video went viral on social media, and netizens started criticising the overall police department due to the experience shared by the youth. Common sentiment was that police are meant to protect citizens, but every common citizen fears them. “Rather than doing their duty and making people fear-free, people are afraid of them and think they are a nuisance.”
An X user noted, “The police don't have proper mental balance. They take their powers for granted. Citizens in other countries feel safe when they see a police officer, but citizens in India feel fear when they see one.”
What Do Rules Say?
Under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, traffic police or authorised officers can seize a driving licence only in strictly defined situations under Section 206 of the act. They are permitted to do so if they believe that the licence or related documents, like the RC and insurance, are false or forged. They may also seize the licence when they suspect that the driver, facing serious offences such as dangerous driving, drunken driving, etc., might abscond or avoid a court summons. In such cases, they forward the licence to the court.
When they hand over a seized licence, they must issue a temporary acknowledgement slip, which may or may not allow continued driving depending on how it is worded. However, police are not allowed to arbitrarily suspend or revoke a licence on their own; only the licensing authority, like the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or a court, can do that after formal proceedings.
According to the law, what the unidentified policeman did in this video was fine, but the allegations of his behaviour and treatment towards a common man are questionable, and action should be taken against him for that, noted netizens.
