A driver in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, frustrated after being fined for illegal parking, took extreme measures, setting his newly-bought tempo ablaze during a dispute with the police. The incident unfolded on Khurja road in Pahasu, where the driver was fined ₹500 for parking his tempo near Karira village, obstructing traffic.
The driver initially left after receiving the fine but later returned and set the vehicle on fire, according to local accounts. Witnesses reported that the driver appeared to be intoxicated.
During the Raksha Bandhan festival, police were deployed at various locations to manage traffic flow. A report of an empty tempo parked on the Pahasu-Khurja road reached the Karouri Station In-Charge, who then issued the fine.
The driver, in his complaint, claimed that a traffic officer penalized him while he was purchasing items from a shop after parking his vehicle by the roadside. He contested the fine, and in response, he alleged that the officer set his vehicle on fire.
Police quickly alerted the fire department about the incident. The fire brigade swiftly arrived and extinguished the flames. A video capturing the tempo engulfed in flames went viral online, prompting the police to file an arson case against the driver.
Police officials have maintained that the parked tempo was obstructing traffic, justifying the issuance of the challan.
In a separate incident in Bulandshahr, a tragic road accident resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals who were traveling to celebrate Raksha Bandhan in Aligarh and nearby areas. The accident occurred when a Max vehicle carrying these passengers collided head-on with a private bus. The collision left 37 others injured.
The District Magistrate, CP Singh, confirmed the fatalities and the extent of the injuries sustained in the accident.