Highway robbery without the highway: In Katihar, Bihar, traffic enforcers have been unmasked reducing Rs 6000 penalties to Rs 200 bribes via a neighborhood tea stall. A sub-inspector and homeguard’s scheme unraveled through a driver’s daring hidden video, now viral and prompting police crackdown.
At Manihari crossing, the routine stop turned predatory. The driver, contrite for his traffic slip, was bombarded with fine threats. Enter the fix: stash Rs 200 at the tea counter, and poof—no paperwork. The stall doubled as the racket’s nerve center, handling countless such ‘settlements.’
Viral spread forced accountability. Katihar SP Shikhar Chaudhary launched FIRs, nabbing the homeguard while pursuing the fugitive SI. The video evidence, crystal clear on negotiations, ensures airtight cases.
Residents voice frustration over persistent graft, viewing it as a barrier to safer roads. This exposure could herald change, with pushes for transparent fining apps and random audits. Yet history tempers optimism—similar busts fade without systemic overhaul.
The incident reverberates, challenging Bihar police to prove commitment beyond arrests. For everyday commuters, it’s a wake-up call: record, report, and resist the informal economy of enforcement.