Peddlers ‘take over’ vacant police station building at Mullanpur, cops school ground
Amidst ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’, a police station building, not quite far from the Punjab Police headquarters, has been captured by drug peddlers and anti-social elements.
The newly constructed Mullanpur police station building is in ruins. Peddlers and anti-social elements have taken over it for the past two years, while cops continue to encroach upon the playground of ML Puri School of Eminence, Mullanpur Garibdas, which is located at some distance.
The school playground is littered with vehicles, case properties and scrap in the open as the neighbouring police station officials dump confiscated vehicles here. Seized cars, tippers and earthmovers parked in the school playground make a mockery of state government’s Punjab Sikhya Kranti. And the pile is increasing every year.
Students are left to play in unhygienic conditions. Generally, peddlers and anti-social elements added to the nuisance value, but cops were not far behind, locals said.
The existing Mullanpur police station building is adjacent to the school boundary wall. “The new building is nearly complete but the Punjab Police Housing Corporation is yet to build the boundary wall to secure the compound. So, shifting to the new building is pending for two years,” said a senior police official, requesting anonymity.
Meanwhile, the doors and windows of the new building have been vandalised, sanitary items stolen, and cracks developed on the walls.
The Punjab State and Chandigarh Human Rights Commission had issued a notice to the Mohali police and the DEO for turning ML Puri School of Eminence, Mullanpur Garibdas, playground into a junkyard. However, no action has been taken yet.
The commission has called for a report from the Mohali SSP and the DEO (Secondary) on May 20.
Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ruled that case properties have to be disposed of within 90 days.
The two wings of the school share a common road with the police station where visitors and cops park their vehicles haphazardly, leaving the movement of school buses hindered. Repeated requests by the school authorities, the village sarpanch, nambardar and social activists for the past two years have had no effect on the police as they refuse to vacate the playground.
Written communication to the police authorities, the DEO (Secondary), the Kharar MLA, the Municipal Corporation, the CM’s office and the Education Minister (December 5, 2024) have remained unanswered. Village residents said it became worse when the school hosted zonal sports tournaments at the ground.
