The incident took place at a junction in Paharganj, around 5.30 pm on Tuesday.

Taken aback, the traffic constable Kuber Singh stood still for a few moments before senior police officers arrived to his aid and took the woman, Meenakshi, and the man driving the car to the police station. Shaken, the constable reportedly threatened to quit service there and then, on the spot, but was allayed by the senior officers, eyewitnesses and another police official present on the spot said.

The incident came on the day Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal addressed the media and highlighted the success of the ongoing drive against traffic offenders: 15,500 motorists challaned this January, including 1,112 government vehicles, 64 policemen and 16 police vehicles.

The area’s traffic inspector (name withheld on request) said that the car — a gray Wagon-R — was challaned and Meenakshi, in her early thirties, was let off after she and her companion profusely apologised to the offended constable. The inspector said no case was lodged against the woman and refused to comment further on the issue.

The police also refused to divulge details about the alleged offender. A senior police officer said that criminal cases are usually lodged against any person who harasses, misbehaves or assaults a police official on duty.

An eyewitness, Hammad, who runs a shirt factory in the Walled City said he had just got off a rickshaw with his brother, Abid, when the signal turned to red. “The constable had asked the driver to come out and pay a challan, as the traffic police are observing an intensive drive, after the car crossed the Zebra marking. But instead of the driver, a woman (Meenakshi) sitting in the front seat came out and started arguing with the constable,” Hammad said.

She apparently lost her cool in the heat of the moment and slapped the traffic constable, before people gathered at the spot, Hammad said.

As senior officers arrived, within moments, the constable told them that he would “hate to do a job where people can come and slap me when I am doing my duty”, Hammad said.

A senior officer at Paharganj police station said no case was registered after Meenakshi apologised to the constable and broke down at the police station.