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Ludhiana | Railway police to auction ‘jinxed’, seized vehicles
Many vehicles are those involved in a crash, but have not been claimed by the victims’ kin, fearing the vehicle to be jinxed; others have been abandoned in parking lots as fee has surpassed cost, and others are suspected to be stolen
‘Doomed’ vehicles cursed with ‘drivers’ bad luck’, vehicles left parked in the parking zones of the Ludhiana railway station, and unclaimed stolen vehicles will soon be auctioned by the Government Railway Police.
The railway police have been left with the custody of 165 unclaimed vehicles, mostly bikes and scooters, of which 110 will be auctioned, say officials.
Many vehicles are those involved in a crash, but have not been claimed by the victims’ kin, fearing the vehicle to be jinxed.
“We do contact the relatives of the deceased after completing legal formalities and ask them to take the vehicle with them. However, more often than not they bluntly refuse saying the vehicle may prove to be unlucky for other family members as well. We are left with no other option but to dump the vehicle at the backyard of the police station,” a GRP official said.
Parking fee surpasses cost of vehicle
However, not all vehicles to be auctioned belong to accident victims, a few also belong to those who parked their vehicles in the marked parking zones of Ludhiana railways pre-Covid, but failed to pay for the space.
“People have parked their two-wheelers in these areas before the Covid lockdown. However, now that the rent of the parking has exceeded the cost of the vehicle, people have refused to claim the vehicle,” says inspector Jaskaran Singh.
“We have tried to resolve such parking disputes and a few people took their vehicles back after paying concessional parking fees. However, ,many left their vehicles in the said parking areas, saying they will buy a new vehicle instead of paying the parking fee!” said Singh.
Unclaimed stolen vehicles
A few vehicles were taken in custody as there were no number plates on them and they may be stolen vehicles. The GRP has now formed a committee to auction the vehicles (case properties) stranded at the GRP Police station for many years. The committee will decide the reserve price of the unclaimed vehicles.
The committee includes GRP deputy superintendent of police, inspector, transport officer, manager roadways and DIC general manager. “The committee is yet to decide the date of the auction. It was supposed to be held last month, but due to a strike of the ministerial staff , the meeting of the committee was postponed. Since the strike has ended, soon proceedings will be initiated after the coordination with the DC office,” he added.
The GRP will hold the auction under Section 25 of the Police Act (police- officer to take charge of unclaimed property, and be subject to magistrate’s orders as to disposal) and under Section 102 of the CRPC (any police officer, may seize any property which may be alleged or suspected to have been stolen, or which may be found under circumstances which create suspicion of the commission of any offence).
