Activism against police with ‘false social media post’ boomerangs on activist

PTI, May 21, 2024, 8:38 AM IST

Mangaluru: A post by a social media activist which claimed that a police vehicle did not have valid insurance has boomeranged, with the police slapping a fine on him for Rs 500 for allegedly not producing his own vehicle’s emission certificate.

A citizen had posted ‘a false, malicious and misleading’ post on social media, stating that a certain police vehicle bearing the registration number KA-19-G-1023 on duty near Kuntikana in Mangaluru city did not have valid insurance as the police department is using vehicles for which it has not paid insurance premiums.

Clarifying the facts, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Aggarwal said all vehicles of the Police Department are compulsorily insured by the Karnataka Government Insurance Department (KGID) and the said insurance is renewed from time to time.

“It is hereby clarified that any departmental vehicles whose insurance is not renewed shall not be used for duty. Departmental Highway Patrol Vehicle Registration No KA-19-G-1023 as shown on social media has insurance period up to date 13-10-2025 and vehicle pollution inspection period is valid up to 08-01-2025.”

Conversely, when the police asked to see the emission certificate of the two-wheeler owned by the ‘social media activist’, he could not produce it. Subsequently, the police slapped a fine of Rs 500 on him for this lapse.