Stopped for not wearing helmet, inspector’s son abuses traffic police

 After the video of the incident spread on social media and instant messaging platforms, Anna Square police booked him under three sections.

The man was identified as Elanga Mani, son of Minor Samy, an inspector with Civil Supplies CID in Tiruvallur. He is a fourth-year Law student and is said to be working with a government pleader.The incident happened around 6.15 pm on Saturday opposite Labour statue on Kamarajar Salai when a team of traffic police from Marina station were nabbing traffic violators.

Elanga Mani, who was riding his bike towards War Memorial with a female friend, was intercepted by sub-inspector Krishnamoorthy. However, Elanga Mani did not stop the bike. As he had a police sticker stuck on the number plate, Krishnamoorthy allegedly asked if he did not stop because he had a police sticker. This led to an argument between them and Elanga Mani started abusing the policeman and challenged him to come to the law college premises to face the consequences.

The argument attracted passers-by who gathered around them. It also brought Armed Reserve personnel who had been deployed for bandobust at Marina beach to control the weekend crowd. The youth abused the traffic police and then went away, leaving his bike behind. The policemen, meanwhile, captured videos of the whole incident. When the bike’s records were checked, police found out that the bike’s insurance was not renewed after 2012.

Soon, the video of Elanga Mani abusing police circulated on WhatsApp and as per the orders of senior officers, he was booked under 294b (uttering obscene words), 353 (deterring public servant from discharge of his duty) 506/1 (criminal intimidation) of IPC and 129 read with 177 (Driver and pillion rider failing to wear protective head gear) of Motor Vehicles Act.

Police sources said Elanga Mani’s father Minor Samy is a kind person who never raised voice against even juniors. Elanga Mani is his third son; the eldest is said to be a doctor and the second son is an agriculturalist. “As the Commissioner has instructed not to spare even police personnel if they violate traffic rules, this youngster could have simply paid a fine of Rs 100 and left the place,” said a police officer.