Viral clip: From managing traffic in downpour to being inundated with congrats

Nandkumar Ingle

Thirty-seven seconds are not enough to do justice to the work traffic constable Nandkumar Ingle, 47, did on Monday evening, drenched from head to toe in the cascading downpour, but at least it has brought him deserving recognition, and appreciation from citizens and police alike.

The short clip shot by a motorist of Ingle managing traffic in Kandivli, after the rains again threw the city out of gear with heavy traffic jams on all major roads, has gone viral.

Ingle's phone hasn't stopped ringing since, with relatives, friends, colleagues and many unknown people calling him up to laud him for his exemplary work. Senior police officers, too, have congratulated Ingle, who is posted with the Dahisar traffic division, for his "selfless service", and have called it a representative image of the Mumbai Police.

'Overwhelmed, speechless'
When called, he said, "I have been in the force for the last 23 years but never witnessed such a moment before. I don't know who videographed me, but I thank that person. I am overwhelmed and speechless."

"That evening, I was posted in front of Big Bazaar at Akurli Road, when it suddenly started pouring. I was carrying my raincoat and umbrella, but there was no time to put them on. My priority was to clear the traffic as soon as possible," he added, recounting what happened. "Vehicular traffic was increasing, and I couldn't afford to waste a single minute. From 7 pm till 11 pm, I was at that spot clearing traffic; I don't even know when this clip was captured."

A completely soaked Ingle left for home at 11.30 pm "with satisfaction" when the flow of traffic decreased. And the next day began the downpour of calls. "At first I thought it must be prank. But when I saw the clip myself, I had goosebumps. Never did I imagine that doing my usual duty would get me so much appreciation. Some news channels also ran the clip, but nobody knew who the constable was," smiled Ingle.

'Proud of Ingle'
Dahisar traffic division in-charge Surykant Gaikwad said, "We are really proud of Ingle. Thanks to this video, people now must have an idea about the conditions in which traffic constables work. We urge motorists to be patient, as their impatience, at times, causes jams." On Wednesday, Assistant Police Commissioner (North) Shakuntala Mistry felicitated Ingle for his work.

Also Read: Mumbai Rains: Emergency Helpline Numbers You Must Have This Monsoon

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