Srinagar, Jan 1: Bone chilling mishap on the Airport Road past month that claimed life of an engineering student concerned the commencement of the Road Safety Week celebrations in the City Saturday with none other than the Inspector General of Police Shiv Morari Sahai terming it as a case of reckless driving by the “pampered minor”.

IGP SPEAKS
 Referring to the speeding swanky car, which crushed down NIT student Aatif Muddabir Dar on December 13, Sahai said the sedan was being driven at a “very high speed”.
 “It was a very fast and a costly car worth around Rs 40 lakhs,” he said in his address at the 22nd Road Safety Week celebrations.
 Added Sahai, in his chaste Urdu accent: “Kamsin umar kay ladkay ko us kay Walid nay tohfay may di thi (Father had gifted the car to his minor son).”
 The IGP maintained that being “rich was a sin but one also needs to respect and adhere to law of the land.”
 He said such incidents couldn’t be checked by police force alone adding that co-operation from public circles was a must.
 “Fines won’t do, a stick won’t do but peoples support will definitely do the needful… So let everybody resolve to abide law,” he said.

CHIEF GUEST CONCERNED
 Rural Development Minister who was the chief guest said the airport road accident was one example while many such cases of reckless driving have destroy families in seconds. He expressed concern over traffic mess in the City.

DIG CONCERNED
 Deputy Inspector General of Police, Rouf Ul Hassan said: “Whatever I heard about the incident conveys that he (accused) is the spoilt son of his father.”
 The DIG, however, quickly added that such incidents couldn’t be avoided unless “everybody plays his role.”
 “This problem cannot be taken in isolation. For maintenance of healthy traffic system one has to look at it from all angles,” he said while talking to Greater Kashmir during the sidelines of the event.
 “From social perspective, a family has to play its role, so is to be done by educational institutions. For that matter even the motor vehicles department and the municipality has to play its role,” Rouf who has earlier served the Traffic department, said.

OTHERS
 Senior bureaucrat Irfan Yasin in his short speech said the Airport Road tragedy which took away the only son of his family was a case of reckless driving while similar views were expressed by SP Traffic Srinagar Maqsood Uz Zaman.
 Pertinently on the fateful day Aatif driving down the Airport Road was reportedly crushed to death when the speeding sedan No DL3CAE 0154 driving in the opposite lane towards the Airport jumped over the road divider and rammed into his car at Parray Pora.
 The accused Jasim Hussain Kawoosa son of Mushtaq Ahmed of Rang Hamam, Nowhatta,  who escaped unhurt had “surrendered before police”.

‘TRAFFIC JAM’ AT IGP RESIDENCE
Sharing some lighter moments, the IGP said when he joined the police force as an IPS officer, the salary used to be so little that he couldn’t afford to buy a car.
 “But  increase in salaries have changed the times so much that now even a Sipahi guarding me owns a car,” he said with a smile on his face as he looked towards his PSOs on guard at the Banquet Hall.
 “While escorting me they park their cars at my residence and it looks like a traffic jam,” he added.
 The District Development Commissioner, Meraj Ahmed Kakroo turned nostalgic of his childhood days in native Baramulla.
 “There were mere two ambassadors in the entire town. One was owned by my uncle and the other by a Sardarji… Both would be invited to Baraat feast by almost every family only because of the vehicle,” he said adding now a minute a traffic jam on the Baramulla highway leads to a kilometer long gridlock. 

‘TAME PARAMILITARY’
State Secretary JK Pradesh Congress, Muhammad Sultan Mandoo came down heavily on the paramilitary troopers for “brazenly violating traffic norms.”
 Sultan in his address said, the troopers were allegedly involved in many hit-and-run cases adding that he was witness to one such mishap outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Taj Mohi-id-Din.
 “That Rakshak hit a man and ran away but we chased it,” Mandoo added.
 “I request the IGP sahib and others to request them(paramilitary) not to take traffic law in their own hands,” he added while hailing the role of police force.
 Mandoo, however, quickly added that the “common masses were also at fault as they too don’t adhere to traffic norms”.

‘WOMEN DRIVE BETTER’
Deputy Superintendent of Police Traffic, Nighat Aman said the women on wheels were “better and more conscious” drivers as compared to their male counterparts .
 Aman, who has been in looking after the City affairs for the past over a year said it was a “truly appreciable that more and more women are taking the driver’s seat.”
 “One always finds them driving very cautiously which is unlike of the majority of male drivers,” she said while talking to Greater Kashmir.
 Aman, who has been selected for the DGP’s medal for 2010 said: “Like at homes, the women are caring even on the roads and so they aren’t seen taking law into their hands,” she added during the during the sidelines of the weeklong celebrations sponsored jointly by Jamkash Vehicleads Kashmir Pvt Ltd, Peaks Auto Pvt Ltd, Fairdeal Motors and Shuhul Automobiles.
 “This event had nothing to with sales or business but was aimed at joining hands for a social cause,” said DGM Peaks, Iqra Shafi.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST