DGP Cracks Down on Dangerous Traffic Stops After Child’s Death in Mandya

Bengaluru: In a powerful response to growing outrage following the tragic death of a child during a traffic check in Mandya, Karnataka’s Director General and Inspector General of Police (DGP-IGP), Dr M A Saleem, has issued a strict circular to overhaul traffic enforcement practices across the state. The directive, released Saturday, prohibits traffic police from intercepting vehicles without clear, visible violations and bans hazardous enforcement tactics such as sudden halting, key snatching, or chasing speeding motorists. This move underscores a firm commitment to public safety, accountability, and restoring public trust in the traffic policing system.

The circular outlines ten major reforms to ensure safer and more disciplined enforcement:

No random checks: Police are prohibited from stopping vehicles solely to check documents unless a clear traffic violation is visible.

Stop only with cause: Checks should only be conducted if a visible offence is committed. During such inspections:

No zigzag barricading on highways.

No sudden darting into roads to stop vehicles.

No grabbing pillion riders or snatching vehicle keys.

Ban on vehicle chases: Speeding motorists should not be chased. Instead, police should record the registration number and register a case accordingly.

Mandatory safety gear: All officers must wear reflective jackets, carry LED batons during evening checks, and use body-worn cameras.

Use of technology: The traffic management centre and ITMS units must conduct contactless enforcement using technology.

Public awareness drive: An outreach campaign will be launched to educate the public about adherence to traffic rules.

No interception on highways: Under no circumstance should high-speed vehicles be intercepted on national/state highways. Cases must be filed based on STVR (Speed Traffic Violation Recording) systems.

Precautionary measures at checkpoints: Police must set up reflective cones and safety markers at least 100-150 metres before any check-post.

Safer night checks: Vehicle inspections, if necessary, should be held near traffic junctions or signals at night.

Law and order police barred from roadblocks: Officers assigned to law and order duties should not conduct traffic roadblocks on highways. For safety, such tasks must include traffic police collaboration.

These reforms mark a crucial shift toward responsible and technology-driven enforcement, aiming to prevent future tragedies and promote safer roads across Karnataka.