Constable Ratan Dey, thrashed by auto drivers in Ultadanga. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Thursday was a bad day for traffic constables.

In two incidents across the city, a traffic constable was beaten up by a gang of autorickshaw drivers and another was left severely injured by an errant oil tanker driver, who sped over the constable’s left leg.

Auto drivers thrashed Ratan Dey, a constable of the Ultadanga traffic guard, around 10.30am, for refusing to pay a premium on regular fare.

Five hours later, Tapas Banerjee of the Tollygunge traffic guard, paid a heavy price for trying to stop an empty oil tanker, which had violated traffic norms.

Though the offenders were arrested in both cases, the twin incidents once again highlight the free rein of road rogues across the city.

“The offenders were let off as they were booked under bailable sections. Unless exemplary punishment is meted out, it will be difficult to check traffic violation,” said a senior police officer.

Constable Dey had taken an auto from his home in Salt Lake’s Baisakhi. When he got off near the Hudco intersection, the driver, Biswajit Adhikari, demanded Rs 5, but Dey refused to pay extra as the fare was Rs 4.

During the heated exchange, Dey flashed his identity card. Promising to show him the fare chart, Adhikari took Dey to his locality in Sreekrishna Colony, off Hudco.

“As the arguments continued, Adhikari and some local residents pounced on Dey and beat him up severely,” said a senior officer of the Ultadanga traffic guard.

Dey suffered injuries on his head and in the abdomen.

Adhikari was arrested and booked under Section 324 of the IPC for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means. Later, he was released on bail.

Sheikh Musharaff, who knocked down Banerjee, was also released on bail as he was booked under sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life) of the IPC. The constable was then in hospital, battling to save his leg.

“At the intersection of Sambhunath Pandit Road and DL Khan Road, Banerjee tried stopping the vehicle when the driver knocked him down and ran over his left leg,” said an officer of the Tollygunge traffic guard.

Banerjee was rushed to SSKM Hospital and then shifted to a private hospital. “The doctors are trying their best to save his leg,” said an officer of Alipore police station.