Activist threatened by rogue truck crew

NEW DELHI: If any evidence was needed of the deep-rooted nexus between law enforcement officials and commercial vehicles, which endangers lives in Delhi by violating all rules, an incident on Sunday proved it all. Well-known activist S P Singh was threatened with death after he complained to the police about an overloaded truck which had no rear numberplate.

The truck was parked in the middle of Ring Road near Raja Garden flyover at Rajouri Garden. Singh (65), a senior fellow at the Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training, was returning from his morning walk when he spotted the truck. The truck was registered in Rajasthan and bore the number RJ 14 GC 9237.

"The truck was overloaded with marble slabs. When I confronted the driver, he dared me to inform the officials and claimed money was regularly paid to the police," Singh said.

Singh called up the owner, whose number was painted on the truck, "but his response was worse". A harassed Singh then dialled 100 at 7.24am and a PCR van immediately reached the spot. The driver had no licence and the truck had no second driver—mandatory for a truck with national permit.

The PCR van left after promising help from the Rajouri Garden station. Meanwhile, the truck crew informed the trader to whom the consignment belonged. "The trader arrived and heckled me. The truck crew threatened to kill me if I didn't leave."

Around 9am, Singh lodged a written complaint with the Rajouri Garden police station. "The SHO wasn't around, so I contacted him over phone," said Singh. "I also told him about a sub-inspector who had visited the spot and had allowed the truck to offload the excess marble. A large number of marble traders had come to the police station and influenced them to ignore my complaint." Till 2pm, Singh said, cops did nothing. They also did not inform traffic officials or the transport department who could prosecute the driver.

Later in the day, senior officials swung into action. A senior officer said the truck will be impounded and the driver booked. Traffic officials, however, claimed to have taken action against a number of vehicles last year.

A police officer said as per the Motor Vehicles Act, police were not empowered to check overloading and the transport department was the only agency to check overloading.

"Vehicles can be booked for 'dangerous driving' under Section 185 where a court challan is issued. But overloading is not an offence," said an officer. Overloaded trucks cause a large number of fatal accidents, damage roads and add to air pollution.

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