A traffic inspector was slapped and assaulted in Baguiati on Wednesday night while he was prosecuting motorists who had parked vehicles illegally along a service lane of VIP Road.

Police said the attackers also tried to snatch the documents that Jayanta Singha, attached to the Baguiati traffic guard, had seized from the errant motorists. Two men - Ganesh Singh and Nandakumar Roy - have been arrested.

Attacking cops on duty is a trend fast catching on across the city.

A motorcyclist had assaulted a traffic homeguard and a sergeant on the Bypass in Patuli around 10 days ago after he was prosecuted for riding without wearing a helmet.

At least seven incidents of assault on cops had been reported over the past four months from the city and its outskirts.

Police sources said Singha and his men had initiated a drive against illegal parking on Wednesday night following a series of complaints from residents.

"It is impossible to move along a 200m-long stretch of the service lane adjoining the city-bound flank of VIP Road from 6pm to 10pm because of parked cars," alleged Soma Ganguly, who had to travel regularly along the stretch to take her son to tuition and bring him back home.

Parking on the service road is banned.

Pursuing the complaint, Singha and his men went to the spot and found a large number of vehicles parked along the service road, near a bar and opposite Big Bazaar.

"Singha was issuing receipts to offenders whose documents he had seized. His colleagues were busy approaching other offenders, asking them to produce documents," an officer said.

Suddenly, a group of 25 men surrounded Singha and tried to snatch away the documents he had seized. The documents were driving licences and papers related to registration and pollution certificate.

"The group asked Singha to stop prosecuting offenders and leave the spot immediately with his team. When Singha refused, five-six persons pounced on him and tried to snatch the seized documents," the officer said.

"The attackers slapped the inspector several times. This continued for a couple of minutes, till the scuffle came to the notice of the other cops in the area. Seeing Singha's team-members rush to his help, the attackers fled."

Singha admitted to Metro that he had been assaulted. "I have lodged a complaint with the local police station. My seniors are aware of the incident."

Shivani Tiwari, deputy commissioner, traffic department, Bidhannagar commissionerate, said: "The drive against illegal parking will continue. We will not allow the service road to be choked with parked vehicles. However, we will allow parking on a part of the road."

Police said the two arrested in connection with the assault on Singha were members of a syndicate that collects money from motorists and drivers for providing them parking space in no-parking zones.