Karnataka - Mysore   

A documentary on road rage

Staff Correspondent

Mysore police will soon launch programmes on safe driving

CREATING AWARENESS: The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), K.T. Balakrishna, explaining the perils of violation of traffic rules during the `Wheel Watch' programme in Mysore on Thursday.

MYSORE: These are the glimpses that can have a lasting impact on individuals.

Recorded in real-time situations, the footages in the documentary depict the emotional trauma of families that have been affected by road rages.

Intended to reach out to the public with a grim message on the effects of drunken driving as a part of "Wheel Watch" programme launched by the Mysore police, the footages of three real situations that portray the traumatised members of the families are gripping, often leaving a lasting impression on the viewers' mind.

Not only are the situations presented, the issues of enforcement of traffic rules have also been deftly integrated in the documentary.

The film has been produced by the Mysore police with assistance from the Indian Road Traffic Enterprise.

Three incidents have been taken out from the crime files and have been appropriately reconstructed in the documentary. Not only do they convey the importance of breadwinners and heads of the families, they also depict the life of family members without them. While the first case is of a man who is knocked down for no fault of his by a vehicle driven by a drunken driver, the second is about the death of a college student in a road accident. The third case is of a man who becomes a victim of reckless and rash driving. The agony of the families of the victims and the pain that follows have been chronicled.

In a city that is plagued by increasing number of accidents, the police have chosen to go to the grassroots, and appeal to the people with messages of social and family responsibility.

To catch the attention of target groups, "Wheel Watch" seeks to reach out to the vulnerable groups, such as college students, factory workers, and members of clubs. To carry out the message of "Drink responsibly and drive safely," the policemen are expected to call on the vulnerable groups in bars and restaurants with the footages. The police have identified nearly 60 colleges, clubs, bars, and factories for screening the documentaries.

The Police Commissioner, Praveen Sood, told The Hindu that they are not trying to take a moral posture with respect to alcohol consumption, but are only appealing to people to drink responsibly. He said to prevent people from riding or driving after alcohol consumption, spot fines will be collected from the guilty. The vehicle will be seized on the spot, and the offender will have to pay a fine in court to secure its release. He will also take part in a counselling session on drunken driving.

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