Tourist group from Rajasthan fined in Manali for reckless driving; viral video sparks outrage
The police imposed a fine of Rs 7,500 on the driver of the SUV bearing a Rajasthan registration number for violating traffic rules and endangering public safety.
According to the police, the vehicle was intercepted on the busy Manali road during routine patrolling.
Inspector Manish Sharma, Station House Officer (SHO) of Manali Police Station, said the vehicle occupants initially resisted police action and questioned why they were being stopped.
“The occupants started arguing with the police team, claiming that nobody dared to stop them for sitting on top of the vehicle while travelling from Rajasthan to Punjab and that it was only in Himachal Pradesh where they were intercepted,” he said.
Sharma stated all the occupants were brought to the nearby police station, where they later apologised for their behaviour.
“The person behind the wheel at the time of the offence was not carrying any valid driving licence. The challans were issued under Section 181 and Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988,” he added.
Several bystanders recorded videos of the incident and posted them on social media platforms. The videos drew sharp criticism from netizens, many of whom condemned the reckless behaviour of the tourists and demanded strict enforcement of traffic rules in Himachal Pradesh’s tourist destinations.
Sources said that the police team had been patrolling in the tourist town to ensure compliance with road safety norms, particularly during the ongoing tourist season.
The incident comes amid increasing concerns over indiscipline and unruly behaviour by some tourists visiting the hill state. On May 24, the Shimla police had challaned three men from Haryana for allegedly smoking hookah at the Ridge, a designated no-smoking zone and a prominent tourist attraction in the state capital.
In another incident on May 25, four people, including a woman from Panchkula in Haryana, were arrested in Shimla for allegedly assaulting the driver of a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Volvo bus following a dispute.
Original Source
This content was distilled for a focused reading experience. All rights belong to The Indian Express.
Read original publication