Raipur cop who held up traffic to help disabled cross street feted

Raipur: Raipur: Two days after TOI published the heartwarming story of a Chhattisgarh traffic police constable, who went beyond his duty to help a disabled man cross a crowded rain-soaked Raipur junction, the city police, on Tuesday, honoured him for the ‘Good Samaritan’ act.In acknowledgement of his act that won him many hearts across the city and beyond, traffic constable Girivar Tondon was felicitated by the commissioner of Raipur Police, Sanjeev Shukla. To glowing flashbulbs and hearty claps, Tandon was presented a certificate of appreciation and a cash reward of ₹2,000.The city police chief praised him for extending a timely helping hand to the disabled man, holding up traffic till he safely crossed over to the pavement on the other side.Sharing the TOI report, on the police department’s social media handle, commissioner Shukla wrote that the constable became ‘sarathi’ (charioteer) for a divyang, adding that every person in need deserves immediate help.An image that went along with the TOI report showed the constable escorting the differently abled man as he crawled across the rain-drenched street.Tondon said helping the elderly and differently abled while on duty should come naturally to someone in his job.“I happened to be at the spot for some work when I saw him struggling to cross the street amid heavy rain and surging traffic. I asked him where he wanted to go and arranged an auto-rickshaw after helping cross over,” the constable told TOI.His felicitation drew praise from netizens, with many calling it a reminder that there is a human side to policing.Officials said such gestures help set the tone and template for public-friendly policing while encouraging others in uniform to go beyond routine duty.