Unclaimed vehicles pile up at police stations, cops in a fix

PATIALA: The rusting of confiscated vehicles is a common site across all police stations in the state. And though the government had directed the police to initiate steps to dispose of unclaimed vehicles, sources say there is no immediate respite as the matter involves several legalities.

Impounded vehicles dumped at a police station in Patiala. Tribune file photo

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 15

The rusting of confiscated vehicles is a common site across all police stations in the state. And though the government had directed the police to initiate steps to dispose of unclaimed vehicles, sources say there is no immediate respite as the matter involves several legalities.

In November last year, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had informed the Vidhan Sabha that more than 30,000 vehicles, including 10,791 four-wheelers, were lying in state police stations.

“Directions have been issued to dispose of all vehicles lying in malkhanas, except those required in some legal cases,” the CM had said.

An SHO-level officer said: “A list of such vehicles is sent to the DC concerned, who forwards it to the district public relation officer for an advertisement in newspapers and further action. However, there are no funds to carry out the process.”

As per the police, nearly 34,000 vehicles are rusting in the open spaces at various police stations. Of these, around 10,000 are unclaimed. Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala have most unclaimed vehicles.

Sources say most vehicles were seized in connection with cases pertaining to sand mining and drug peddling. Many vehicles are from the militancy era. It is impossible to arrange documents or move their file for disposal as per law, the sources say.

An SHO posted in Ludhiana said: “Our police station has been turned into a junkyard. In many cases even after a court order, people don’t turn up to claim their vehicles.”

A senior police says legal hurdles prevent them from disposing of the vehicles. “The confiscated vehicles belong to three-four categories. Those which were used for criminal activities could be disposed of only after the winding up of the case. We are in process of framing guidelines for the same,” he adds.