Bengaluru traffic constable suspended for slapping biker; Rs 500 fine issued for violation

BENGALURU: Traffic police constable Mallikarjuna Theli, attached to Madiwala traffic police station, was suspended for slapping a bike rider. A video of the recent incident went viral, and the public demanded strict action against the constable for manhandling the biker. Reacting to social media posts, the jurisdictional traffic DCP replied, saying action had been taken against the cop for misbehaviour. Theli was caught on camera slapping the biker twice, in Madiwala police limits on Monday. The video shows the biker crying and asking the cop the reason for slapping him. The rider is said to have entered a one-way and was issued a challan. A passerby who recorded the incident, shared it on X. After the rider entered the one-way, two traffic policemen stopped him. The rider started arguing with the policemen, and Theli slapped him twice. In the video, the constable can be seen taking the bike keys and warning the biker to call the patrol police to take him to the police station. DCP (Traffic South) Gopal M Byakod, replying to the post on X, said, Accountability and respect go hand in hand. Action has been taken against the staff for misbehaviour. Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai too demanded action against the constable. Pai wrote on X on Thursday: Will our Bengaluru Police Commissioner take action? How can the police slap a citizen? Are we slaves or citizens in our city? Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara please intervene. This is unacceptable. @Dgpkarnataka will our @CMofKarnataka please protect citizens as he has sworn to do? Replying to Pais post, another X user Ventakatagiri GR said action had been taken as per the post from DCP. A fine of Rs 500 was collected from the biker for the traffic violation.