Rules are for others? Dandeli cops hold helmet rally without wearing helmets in SP’s presence
Haliyal: What was meant to be a road safety awareness drive by the Uttara Kannada police has ended up highlighting the very lapse it sought to prevent.
As part of Superintendent of Police Deepan M.N.’s ‘Helmet Awareness Campaign’, police officials across the district have been holding bike rallies, campus visits, and outreach events to promote helmet use among two-wheeler riders. But a recent rally in Haliyal, under the Dandeli sub-division, has now become a talking point not for its message, but for its irony.
On October 8, SP Deepan M.N. led a bike rally himself, riding a motorcycle and flagging off the event to spread awareness on the importance of helmets. However, in a scene that perfectly captured the “do as I say, not as I do” spirit, several police officials following the SP were seen with pillion riders holding placards on helmet awareness, none of whom were wearing helmets themselves.
The irony deepened when the SP shared the very video of the rally on his official X handle, apparently without noticing the glaring contradiction. The footage quickly drew attention online, how a campaign meant to model road safety could overlook the basic rule it was preaching.
Police sources said the campaign aims to encourage habitual helmet use among two-wheeler riders in the district. However, the visuals from the rally have now raised questions about discipline, consistency, and accountability within the department itself.
While the campaign’s intent remains commendable, its execution has, quite literally, missed the helmet.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
