IE : To reduce accidents, probe better, guidelines issued : Oct 13,2007

To reduce accidents, probe better, guidelines issued

 EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
OCTOBER 12

IN an effort to look into the larger issues of motor vehicle accidents and
frame necessary guidelines to investigate such incidents, the state
government yesterday submitted an affidavit to the Bombay High Court along
with the guidelines issued by the Mumbai Police Commissioner on October 9.
This was in response to the proceedings initiated by the Bombay High Court
in this regard while taking suo motu notice of the Alister Pereira case.
The guidelines state that the first and foremost duty of the investigating
officer should be to observe and preserve the site of an accident. It
emphasizes recording of spot panchnama and drawing of a site map.
An affidavit filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinoy Choubey (Zone IX)
states: "Of late, it has been observed that the younger generation in
particular from elite families drives vehicles at the highest speed under
the influence of alcohol and causes fatal accidents. Such accidents create
an impression on the minds of the public that the police have no control
over such culprits. In such circumstances, it is imperative to alert the
investigating machinery to take utmost care while investigating such fatal
accidents especially in view of the recent vehicular fatal accidents such as
the Salman Khan case and the Alister Pereira case."
Another affidavit filed by Shahaji Solunke, deputy commissioner of police
(traffic), states that the police have cracked down on drunk driving and
rash and negligent driving cases. From January to September, the traffic
department registered 14,75,867 cases of which 7,503 are for drunk driving
and 8,286 for rash and negligent driving. Among those caught for drunk
driving, 1,163 offenders were sentenced to simple imprisonment.
"The traffic division has procured 40 breathanalysers and a special drive
was undertaken during late hours to check cases of drunk driving and rash
and negligent driving," the affidavit says.
"The traffic division has requested the authorities to install 100 closed
circuit cameras. At present, there are 57 closed-circuit cameras at various
junctions in Mumbai," the affidavit says.
Crackdown on rash bikers After drunk drivers, the Mumbai Traffic Police
department will now crack down on rash bikers. Addressing the press on
Friday, Police Commissioner Dhananjay Jadhav announced the traffic police's
agenda to get 'tough on rash bikers' in Mumbai. Joint Commissioner of Police
(Traffic) Vijay Kamble said, "In the past few years, we have been witnessing
that the instances of dangerous driving by two-wheeler drivers have
increased. Keeping this in mind, we have installed CCTVs at around 50
locations throughout the city. The cameras help in tracing dangerous drivers
of twowheelers as their registration numbers get photographed and action can
be taken against such rash drivers."-ENS

Publication : IE; Section : MN; Pg : 1; Date : 13/10/07
URL : http://70.86.150.130/indianexpress/ArticleText.aspx?article=13_10_2007_521_017