41 FIRs registered in a day against masked bikers

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana July 23

The Ludhiana police have started taking stern action against masked bike riders after the killing of pastor Sultan Masih outside the church by two bike-borne persons on July 15.

In a special drive launched on Saturday, various police stations registered as many as 41 FIRs against motorcycle-borne persons under Section 188 (disobedience of order of public servant). Although orders were for women as well, no woman was booked by the police in the drive.

Notably, Police Commissioner RN Dhoke had recently issued orders imposing a complete ban on covering faces while riding a bike. The CP had issued the orders, while stating that anti-social elements conceal their identity and commit crime by covering their faces.

Sources said every police station was strictly told by senior officials to register as many FIRs and jot down complete details of such bike-borne persons for future reference.

It is learnt that masked bike-borne persons had committed the crime in the recent high-profile killings including that of pastor Sultan Masih, Shri Hindu Takht leader Amit Sharma outside Mata Durga temple, Dera Sacha Sauda followers — the father-son duo at Jagera and Shiv Sena leader Durga Gupta.

‘People being entangled in legal mess without awareness’

Reacting sharply against the police drive of registering FIRs against bike-borne people riding with face covered, residents said the orders of CP Dhoke were being imposed on people, that too, without any awareness about the orders. “When we are not even aware about the CP’s orders, why are we being entangled into this legal mess?” a biker asked.