Prabhat Road police chowky robs residents of footpath

Cops dump unclaimed vehicles on pavement outside premises

Prabhat Road police chowky robs residents of footpath

Cops dump unclaimed vehicles on pavement outside premises

Residentsu00a0of Prabhat Road are complaining they have been robbed of a pavement by the local police chowky, which has dumped vehicles seized from their owners or recovered after their theft on the footpath outside it.

Anger is running high among locals as they say the law enforcement agency is itself breaking the law and getting away with it.

The rusting vehicles were earlier kept inside the chowky premises
and have now been shifted outside after some colouring work was started

The residents say that since their vehicles would have been towed away by the police if they had parked them on the pavement, the police should also be fined for breaking the law.

An elderly person residing close to the police chowky said the unclaimed vehicles till recently used to be kept inside the chowky.

"The rusting vehicles were earlier kept inside the chowky premises and have now been shifted outside after some colouring work was started," said the senior citizen, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Security threat
A resident, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he had to pass the Prabhat Road police chowky almost daily and was worried that the vehicles posed a security threat as anybody could hide an explosive in one of the rusting.

"On numerous occasions, and mainly before any major festival season, the police caution citizens saying they should inform them immediately about abandoned vehicles as they can be used to plant explosives," said the resident.

"And now these vehicles are being parked right on the pavement outside the police chowky!"
Most locals say that in spite of having brought to the notice of the police the inconvenience caused to them by the vehicles, nothing has been done to remedy the situation.

"Earlier, cars which were involved in accident cases were parked in front of the restaurant opposite the chowky, but after the restaurant owner complained, the vehicles were finally removed," said a Prabhat Road stall owner, requesting anonymity.

Ghole Road Ward Officer Vilas Lande said his office was not aware of the pavement being blocked by vehicles.
"As far as we know, the vehicles were parked inside the (chowky) premises," he said.
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"But if they are abandoned on the pavement outside and are causing inconvenience to locals, we will ask the police to remove them from the spot."

The Other Side
Sub-inspector Nandkumar Kenche admitted that the vehicles had been parked outside the chowky. "The vehicles have been parked outside as we have started some repair and painting work on our premises.

But if it is causing problems to the residents, the vehicles will be removed from pavement and parked inside," said Kenche.