Mumbai, Oct 9: A traffic policeman, who was attempting to stop an auto driver over a dysfunctional headlight, was dragged 100 metres by the driver who refused to stop. The auto driver was later arrested.

The Vile Parle police said traffic constable Javed Pirzade (38), attached to the Sahar Traffic Chowky, was manning the road near the Andheri bridge on the Western Express Highway on Friday night. An auto driver, identified as Ramsingh Bejan Ram Gautam, was passing by, and the headlight on the vehicle was not working properly. Pirzade signalled for the driver to stop. “There are potholes and manholes on the stretch of road and I thought he would come to harm if he drove without a proper headlight and, hence, signalled for him to stop,” Pirzade said.

“As he passed, I caught the middle pole of the auto and told the driver to stop but he started speeding. I could not immediately let go of the pole and he dragged me for 100 metres,” Pirzade said.

When the driver slowed down for a second, Pirzade, who was injured by then, let go of the pole.

Passers-by gathered around the constable but the auto driver managed to flee. “People offered me water and also called up the police control room (100),” Pirzade said.

Pirzade was then taken to the nearby VN Desai hospital where he was discharged after treatment. “Pirzade was injured on both legs and his trousers were torn as he was dragged some distance,” said senior inspector of police, Vile Parle police station, Raksha Mahrao.

Later, based on Pirzade’s complaint, the auto driver was booked and then arrested from Bharat Nagar in Bandra. He told the police that he had panicked when the traffic cop tried to stop him. Pirzade said, “I only wanted to warn him about having a working headlight because of the potholes. But, he started fleeing without listening to what I had to say.”

As per statistics, every day, three policemen are attacked in the state, with Mumbai topping the list. Seventy per cent of the attacks are against traffic cops.