Amidst statewide extortion by a section of police and traffic personnel in the name of ‘challan’ for violating traffic rules, one police officer and a SPO jawan were suspended by Khowai district police for taking direct inducement from two auto-rickshaw drivers in Kalyanpur.

Sources said that before the ensuing festive season, the police and traffic personnel across Tripura including in Agartala are busy with imposing ‘challans’ in the name of traffic laws instead of providing their efforts for smooth traffic movements including in the capital city of Agartala, where majority of the traffic personnel harassing people by imposing challans, but they are very much reluctant to perform their duties to ease heavy traffic jams in every parts of the city.

Sources said that a section of police personnel posted at Kalyanpur police station like other police stations of the state were taking bribes, specially from transporters and other vehicle owners including two-wheelers.

On Thursday, one Sub-Inspector (SI) , Sourab Das and SPO jawan, Bikash Das, posted at Kalyanpur police station were suspended by the SP of Khowai district  Ramesh Kumar Yadav for harassing some auto-rickshaw drivers and taking bribes from them.

Sources added that about 30 to 35 auto-rickshaws were playing daily with passengers in the Kalyanpur-Gilatali route, but often they were harassed  by police personnel, specially by SI Sourab Das and SPO jawan Bikash Das. On Thursday afternoon, these police personnel imposed penalties of Rs. 3000 each on two auto-rickshaws (TR-06-3014 and TR-06-3538).

Despite earnest requests, errant police officer Sourab Das was not ready to give them any relief and at one time, the accused police officer had also taken Rs. 800 through online from an auto-rickshaw driver into his personal bank account. But, agitated auto drivers demand receipt of their challans. Unable to give any official challan, then accused police officer was forced to return back Rs. 800.

Later, on Thursday evening all the auto-rickshaw drivers under the umbrella of BMS staged a deputation at Kalyanpur Police station against forceful inducement by Bikash Das and a SPO jawan.

On Friday, SP, Ramesh Kumar Yadav took the matter seriously and immediately suspended SI Sourab Das and SPO jawan Bikash Das.