MUMBAI: A traffic cop was suspended on Saturday after a video clip on Facebook showing a car being towed with a woman seated in the back and feeding her baby went viral. The incident occurred around 5.30pm on Friday on S V Road in Malad (West) when traffic cops found the car parked in a no-parking zone.

Traffic constable Shashank Rane , who was seated in the towing van, called Malad police as well as the police control room saying the woman and her husband allegedly tried to obstruct him from “doing his duty”.

Rakhi Mali, the woman, told mediapersons on Saturday that she was in the car before the towing vehicle was attached to it. “My husband requested the traffic cop to take the fine amount and release our car. Our child is unwell and we wanted to rush to a doctor. However, the traffic cop was adamant and did not listen to us,” said Mali who is a model.

The video shows Mali shouting at the traffic cop and asking him to stop towing her car, saying she was feeding her baby in the back seat and that the baby was unwell. The matter was resolved after local police reached the spot.

The person who recorded the video alleged in the clip that the traffic cop wanted a bribe for not taking action against the couple. But a traffic police officer from Malad said the constable did fine Mali’s husband for the offence. The identity of the person who recorded the incident is not known yet.

Amitesh Kumar , joint commissioner of police (traffic), told TOI: “The DCP traffic (western suburbs) has been ordered to visit the spot and conduct an inquiry into the incident at once. It will be dealt with appropriately and sternly after the report is received tomorrow (Sunday).”

Kumar said initial information received shows the traffic cop called the local police and the police control room when he started towing the car. “The couple had gone somewhere after parking their car on the busy S V Road. The traffic constable took action and the woman’s husband, Yuvraj Mali, even paid a fine for parking in a noparking zone,” said a Malad traffic officer. Sanjay Jadhav , deputy commissioner of police (west traffic), said he has asked for a report from Malad traffic division.

Vishwanath Shelar, Malad traffic police inspector, said, “The woman got into the car after the towing vehicle started pulling it and began arguing with traffic cops. The traffic constable immediately alerted the police control room and Malad police, who intervened and the matter was resolved after her husband paid the fine.”



In Video: Shocking: Woman with baby in car towed away by traffic cop