New Delhi (Sputnik) – There are scores of viral videos that show how cops can be brazen in exercising their power. In one such video that emerged from India’s financial capital Mumbai, traffic police are seen towing a vehicle away while a woman continues to breastfeed her infant inside. However, two days after the video sparked a huge controversy, a new video shot seconds before the towing started, has added an unexpected twist to the story.
@sudhirchaudhary Sir,every1 is blaming traffic cop of mumbai police who towed car in which a lady with her child is seating.Does it have another angle.Yes it has. In vdo we can see man having that child and after towing car lady is seating in car.cops r requesting her to come out pic.twitter.com/ER0mJXcigF
— harshad (@harshad1479) 12 ноября 2017 г.
The video was recorded by the woman’s husband wherein he is heard pleading the traffic police to stop. “Mumbai public wants to know… who would be responsible if something happens to the baby,” says the man shooting the video while the cops inside the tow truck drive away nonchalantly.
Absolutely unacceptable @MumbaiPolice. You have towed a car in which a woman was sitting and breastfeeding her child. Shame. https://t.co/7xQkagJiut
— K (@monteskw) 11 ноября 2017 г.
The crying mother, who is seemingly breastfeeding the infant while the video is being shot, alleges that there were two other vehicles parked in the wrong space but the cops chose to tow only their vehicle away.
READ MORE: Nine Dead, 100 Injured in Boiler Blast at Indian Power Plant — Police (PHOTO)
The traffic cops reportedly drove the vehicle along with the mother and her infant up to the Malad police station while the husband followed them on a friend’s motorcycle. The couple was fined and sent away by the police.
The husband proceeded to post the video on social media, sparking public outrage. Rights activists slammed the traffic cop for not being sensitive towards women, especially breastfeeding mothers.
Shocker from Mumbai.. traffic cops tow car with mother and infant! Heights of insensitivity! And so typical of police high handed behavior with aam janta https://t.co/jhJFvbmxaB
— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) 11 ноября 2017 г.
One of the cops involved in the incident was immediately suspended and an inquiry has been set up to ascertain the facts.
"The Deputy Commissioner, Traffic, West Region, Mumbai, has been ordered to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The issue will be dealt with appropriately and sternly and the report will be submitted to me on Sunday," Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner (Traffic), said.
However, two days later, another video capturing the incident surfaced, contradicting the claims of the woman and her husband. The video shows the infant was outside in his father’s arms while the woman sitting inside the car is heard arguing with the traffic police, who are pleading her to get outside of the car. It is yet unclear how the baby got into the car when it was being towed. Nevertheless, it proves that the cops did try to persuade the woman to step outside and that the situation could have been averted if the owners of the car had complied with police instructions.
