HIS BIKE TOWED AWAY, DRUNK MAN ARGUES, SETS IT ON FIRE

NEWDELHI: A man set his motorcycle ablaze after arguing with traffic police for towing it away in south Delhi’s Saket on Thursday morning, police said, adding the man was inebriated at the time.

The man, 35-year-old Chhatarpur resident Mukesh Kumar, was booked for mischief and arrested.

The incident comes less than two months after a man had set his motorcycle worth ₹15,000 on fire in south Delhi’s Sheikh Sarai while the police were fining him ₹11,000 for driving under the infulence of alcohol, and other offences.

Kumar, involved in Thursday’s incident, is a decorator. On Thursday morning, he was visiting Mandir Marg in Saket when he allegedly parked his motorcycle in a no-parking zone.

“The traffic police towed his motorcycle and took it to Pushp Vihar,” said Atul Kumar Thakur, DCP (south).

Kumar later reached Pushp Vihar. The traffic police asked him to produce his motorcycle’s documents, which he allegedly did not have, said the DCP. “When the traffic policeman told him that he would be prosecuted for a host of offences, Kumar picked a fight with the policemen and misbehaved,” said the DCP.

Kumar then allegedly set his motorcycle on fire. The vehicle was destroyed before the firefighters could reach the spot. The traffic cops then informed the local police who booked the suspect and arrested him.

The DCP said Kumar was inebriated at the time of the quarrel, but his action also stemmed from his anger over domestic issues.

SANCHIT KHANNA/HT PHOTO Vehicles parked illegally along the Mathura Road create a major traffic bottleneck, triggering snarls and affecting traffic flow on connecting roads.