Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar has directed traffic police to trace an auto-rickshaw driver seen using headphones while driving and take legal action under the applicable law, after a video of the incident was sent to him by a member of the public.
Sajjanar said that even a momentary diversion of a driver’s attention from the road could result in a serious accident. He described watching a movie while driving with headphones as negligence and said such behaviour poses a direct risk to the driver, passengers and other road users.
According to the report, the commissioner said the conduct falls under dangerous driving provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. He stated that the offence could attract a heavy fine and may also lead to cancellation of the driver’s licence. The police action will depend on tracing and identifying the driver shown in the video.
Sajjanar also warned that the risk was not limited to auto-rickshaws. He said people driving two-wheelers, cars, buses and lorries should not use mobile phones, headphones or earbuds while operating a vehicle. The commissioner’s remarks place the issue within a wider road-safety concern involving distracted driving across different types of vehicles on Hyderabad’s roads.
The commissioner asked members of the public not to remain silent when they see drivers using phones or wearing headphones or earbuds while driving. He advised commuters to question the behaviour and ask the driver to stop. If the driver does not respond, he urged people to contact the emergency number 112 and inform the police.
Sajjanar said passenger alertness could help protect not only the person travelling in the vehicle but also other road users. His comments came after the video prompted a response from the police leadership, highlighting the role of citizen reporting and publicly shared footage in bringing potential traffic violations to the attention of enforcement authorities.
Traffic police have been instructed to locate the auto-rickshaw driver and initiate stringent legal action in accordance with the law. The report did not provide details on the driver’s identity, the exact location of the incident or whether an offence had been formally registered at the time of publication.
