Police to check new videos of Malad towing row incident

Mumbai: Mumbai Traffic Police on Monday said it would probe new videos that have surfaced showing a woman allegedly deliberately sitting in her car to stop two traffic constables from towing her car at SV Road in Malad on Friday.

It also said the conduct of the woman in question, Jyoti Mali (27), will be looked into. A video of the incident, where Ms Mali’s car was towed when she was sitting in the rear seat while breastfeeding her child, had gone viral on Saturday. In its aftermath, the traffic constable concerned, Shashank Rane was suspended with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, the State Women’s Commission issued a notice to the Mumbai police on the constable’s conduct on Monday.

The two new videos that surfaced on the Internet on Sunday shows Rane repeatedly asking Ms Mali to get out of the car and feed the infant in the cop’s car, so that the car parked in the ‘No Parking’ area can be towed.

Even after repeated requests from Rane, the video shows Ms Mali insisting that she wants to feed the baby in her car. She even shows the policeman a ‘medical prescription’ as a reason she can’t leave the car.

Mumbai Traffic Police’s joint commissioner Amitesh Kumar told The Asian Age, “We have learnt about the new videos, and they will be taken into consideration during the enquiry and the probe.” When asked about revoking Rane’s suspension, Mr Kumar said, “An enquiry has already been initiated and until the findings are filed, the suspension stays.”

Vijaya Rahatkar, chairman of the State Women’s Commission, said, “The Commission issued notice and sought explanation from Mumbai police regarding the incident. I spoke with joint CP (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar yesterday. The police has suspended that constable immediately and inquiry is going on. We are looking into the matter and necessary action will be taken against the constable.”

Despite repeated attempts, Ms Mali could not be reached for comment. An eyewitness from the spot, wine shop owner Bharat Soni had told this paper on Sunday, “I was watching the traffic cops towing the car, and all of a sudden this woman sat in the car. She kept arguing with the cops, and when the latter did not budge, her husband handed the baby, and she refused to get down. The police even asked them to come to the police station and complete the formalities, but to no avail.”

According to police sources, Ms Mali said in her statement that since the child is an infant, she was breastfeeding him, and that was her first priority. She said she had not even thought of the ‘No Parking’ sign when she was breastfeeding her baby.