This is what Bengaluru traffic cops have to endure on a daily basis

On the backdrop of the increase in assault on traffic cops while at duty, the police department revealed that every year at least 30 officers get injured due to assault from offenders or by vehicles hitting him. Then there is also the issue of name-dropping that helps offenders get away.

Recalling an incident where two Bihari youth used this trick two weeks back, Mohammed NA, Traffic Inspector Airport Road Police, said," The checking was intensified on Doddanekundi as there was a mugging incident on HAL. A youth named Alok was caught drunk. When we stopped his bike, he called his friend Kishore, who arrived in just five minutes. When we explained the process and asked him to leave the bike and take his drunk friend home, he said he is a gazetted officer's son and should be let go."

The youth prevented the traffic police from doing their duty. Law and order police, attached to Mahadevapura, who were patrolling the area, took both youths in and booked a case. Piyush is the son of an assistant sub-inspector while Kishore was an engineer's son.

Another cop attached to the same station said that traffic duty becomes very stressful especially on weekends and as people tend to assault the cops at times. "More dangerous are the foreign nationals. In order to escape, they would try to drive away fast and recklessly. One of our constables was injured recently when we were penalising helmetless riders. A Sudan national tried to speed away on his bike and rammed into a traffic cop in the process," said a senior traffic constable attached to Mico Layout traffic police.

The police, who conduct checking near restaurants, bars and pubs fave yet another problem as they find it difficult to handle female offenders at times. "We do not have women constables working at night and hence handling female offenders becomes really tough. These women sometimes abuse cops and also attack them. Female officers are then called from control room. Till they arrive, the women will obstruct the police from doing their duty. We cannot touch them as it is against the law," said a senior officer.

A source from traffic management cell, which keeps a tab on CCTV footage, said that they have recorded over 30 cases of rash driving.  "At least 30 persons were injured. Simple bruises to fractures were reported," the source said.