Following public outcry against the alleged rude behaviour of traffic policemen and towing staff, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday announced that the system of towing vehicles in Bengaluru will be stopped till simplified rules are put in place.
Mr. Jnanendra held a meeting with DG-IGP Praveen Sood, City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant and Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda and decided to stop the present system of towing vehicles.
In a release, the minister said a decision was taken to find a suitable solution in the wake of problems faced by the public with regard to parking of vehicles and towing of wrongly parked vehicles in the city.
The department would come out with a simplified policy to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and avoid harassment of the public in the hands of towing staff. “The new towing would be more public friendly,” he said.
After the meeting, Mr. Jnanendra met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and informed him of the department’s decision. The new policy would be introduced shortly, after consultations with the Chief Minister, the minister said.
Earlier this week, the minister had held a meeting with all the DCPs, ACPs, PIs, PSIs and ASIs. He explained the SoPs to the staff and asked them to follow them strictly and be polite while dealing with people.
A controversy had erupted on towing on January 24, when a traffic ASI attached to Halasuru Gate police station, who was on towing duty, had attacked a physically-challenged woman and assaulted her. The ASI was placed under suspension.
Another incident, where a delivery executive was seen in a viral video running behind the towing vehicle to get back his bike being towed away in J.B. Nagar, had drawn heavy criticism.
Senior police officials present in the meeting suggested that they would take the suggestions from general public and opinions from the experts to formulate new guidelines.
