Traffic Police Officer Faces Online Harassment After Comedian Posts Photo Without Context

Kathmandu. The mask that Traffic Police Constable Janaklal Mahato wears to protect himself from dust and pollution has now become a shield to hide his identity. He fears being recognized, mocked, or turned into another viral meme on social media.

A simple photo of him checking a motorbike, taken by comedian Kedar Prasad Ghimire (Magne Budha), has turned his life upside down, causing humiliation, misunderstanding, and mental distress.

It was around 2:45 p.m. last Monday at Krishna Pauroti Chowk, Kamalpokhari. Mahato was managing traffic as usual when a noisy motorcycle with folded side mirrors caught his attention.

“Mirrors are crucial for safety. I saw a bike with folded mirrors and stopped it,” he recalled. “One was fine, but the other was rotating loosely.”

He checked the noise issue, found it fine, and politely advised the rider. “The mirrors are for your own safety,” Mahato explained. “Accidents don’t only happen in front, you can get hit from behind too. Please use them properly.”

He unfolded the mirrors himself, noted the bike’s number, and allowed the rider to leave on the condition that the mirror be fixed next time.

But while he was doing his job, an old man begging nearby took a photo. Later that day, around 3:28 p.m. on October 20, Magne Budha posted the photo on Facebook with the caption: “What could be the reason for stopping even when both riders are wearing helmets? Take a guess.” Look at the screenshot.

The post went viral, gathering thousands of reactions and over 1,600 comments. Without context, social media users began speculating. Some said the bike lacked documents; others made sarcastic or offensive remarks, turning it into a meme.

Soon, pages like Prithvi Narayan, Everything Knowledge, and GAK Entertainment reposted the photo, claiming, “A traffic policeman found his wife on someone else’s motorcycle during a traffic check.” The false story spread rapidly, with over 24,000 reactions and 1,100 comments on one page alone.

An account named Bindu Tarami Magar even fabricated a 352-word fictional story, adding a fake watermark and AI-generated image to make it more sensational. The post described the officer as “Surendra from Dharan,” who supposedly caught his wife riding with another man, an entirely baseless claim.

Seeing the viral misinformation, Mahato commented on the post from his verified account: “Please don’t post things like this. That traffic policeman is me. What do you gain from spreading such rumors? I have a family. Don’t make me a joke. I stopped the bike because its mirror was folded and it was making noise. Please delete this post.”

Despite his request, the post remained online. Some pages even mocked him further, replying to his comment with offensive remarks.

After the controversy escalated, Magne Budha issued an apology. He clarified that he had posted the photo out of curiosity to raise awareness about traffic rules and promote his new film Jerry on Top. “I didn’t mean any harm,” he said. “But the photo went viral in a way I never expected.”

For Mahato, however, the damage was already done. “My family believed me after I explained,” he said, “but society doesn’t listen. I’ve become a joke to people who don’t even know the truth.”

He added, “If I had done something wrong, criticism would be fair. But being defamed for doing my duty, just teaching road safety, is painful.”

Mahato now hides behind his mask, fearing another photo, another troll, another meme. All because a moment of service was turned into viral entertainment.

 

पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: कात्तिक १०, २०८२ १३:४३

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