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Traffic cops summoned for booking MLA

By Raju Das

SHILLONG, Dec 19 � The Privileges and Ethics panel of the Meghalaya Assembly ordered two traffic policemen to appear before it on Tuesday for booking a legislator for violation of traffic rules.

The Congress party legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh was the alleged offender when he unsuccessfully tried to park his vehicle at a �No Parking� zone at Don Bosco Square here earlier this month. Incidentally, Lyngdoh heads the Privileges and Ethics panel.

The two police officials, Constable Sandeep Thapa and his superior Cherry Shadap, who had refused to allow the legislator to park in the No Parking zone, were served the notices.

Lyngdoh, in his defence said that he was forced to take the drastic step after the two police officials misbehaved with him even after he made his identity known to them.

�I requested politely to allow me to park my small vehicle for 10 to 15 minutes but the traffic policeman was very rude and instead issued me a summon slip to appear before a Traffic police officer at Laitumkhrah police station,� Lyngdoh said.

Incidentally, last week Traffic officials posted at Police Bazar fined Community and Rural Development Minister Saleng Sangma for Traffic rules violation. The Minister paid the mandatory fine of Rs 1,000.

Meanwhile, the summoning of the two traffic policemen have been decried by several organisations which said that such attitude does not augur well for a democracy.

Khasi Students� Union leader Hamletson Dohling said that such summoning is unacceptable. �The police officials need to be rewarded for upholding the law. We cannot accept the manner in which the Privilege committee decided to summon the two Traffic personnel,� he stated.

Civil Society Women�s Organisation chief Agnes Kharshiing said, �Legislators cannot violate the laws just because they happen to enjoy certain privileges. Privileges should be guided by law and not by whims and fancies of those in power�.

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