india

Updated: Jun 07, 2019 07:21 IST

The city police have decided to book onlookers who shoot videos and take selfies with the accident victims instead of rushing them to hospital.

The move comes after police officials noticed an increase in such trend, which also obstructs traffic movement on the accident site, making it difficult for the ambulance and police personnel reach the victim on time.

The decision is significant in the wake of the rising cases of accidents as from January 2019 to May 2019, Noida police have recorded 481 accidents in which 220 people died and 393 were injured.

Anil Kumar Jha, superintendent of police (traffic), Gautam Budh Nagar, said that the Supreme Court guidelines on road safety mandate people to rush accident victims to hospital for first aid. “This is the responsibility of all the citizens to help accident victims. However, we have observed that instead of helping the injured, passersby stop there and shoot videos and click selfies. This shows an inhuman face of our society and this also obstructs routine traffic movement,” Jha said.

People usually do that to get “likes” and “shares” on social media platforms after posting the photos and videos from their accounts, he said.

Jha said that the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and Yamuna Expressway are equipped with CCTV cameras. “We monitor CCTV cameras on the e-ways and swiftly respond to any emergency situation. We have noticed that there is at least one grievous accident per day. Some minor accidents also take place. But road users are seen parking their vehicles in a haphazard manner and shooting photos and videos. This obstructs traffic movement and ambulance, and traffic police vehicles struggle to reach the victim on time,” the SP (traffic) said.

Jha said these violators will be charged under sections 122 and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The Section 122 states that no person shall cause or allow the vehicle to be abandoned or to remain at rest on any public place in such a position/circumstances as to cause danger, obstruction or undue inconvenience to other users at public place. The Section 177 says whoever contravenes any provision of this Act shall be punishable for the first offence, with fine which may extend to Rs 100, and for any second or subsequent offence with fine which may extend to Rs 300.

The police officer said that the government has amended the Motor Vehicles Act recently, and violators may be charged more. But an official order is awaited, he added.

Traffic police have been directed to take action against such people. Police said that they will scan footage of the CCTV cameras installed at different paces to prosecute such violators.