Ludhiana police commissioner extends ban on ‘VIP’ tags on vehicles

Police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal has extended a ban on writing ‘police’, ‘army’ and other such VIP tags on vehicles without any authority on Friday.

According to the police chief, anti-social elements and criminals could take advantage of such tags and it could
disrupt law and order in the city.

The ban has been extended for two months, along with extensions on a few other previous orders.

The commissioner also extended the orders for shopkeepers to keep a record of buyers of military uniforms or camouflage clothing under section 144 of CrPC.

Anti social elements could disturb the law and order situation or carry out nefarious activities in the guise of armed forces personnel.

The commissioner also ordered shopkeepers to keep a picture, identification proof and phone number of buyers of these uniforms, and keep record of stock and submit it at the police stations concerned.

Owners of petrol pumps, LPG gas agencies, wedding venues and money exchanging shops must install cameras in their premises within 30 minutes.

The police chief said since these establishments possess cash, miscreants usually target them for robbing cash and sometimes injure employees, too. They must be more vigilant to avoid such incidents.

Agarwal also ordered that ownership of second hand vehicles be transferred in the name of buyers within 30 days of purchasing the vehicle.

Miscreants buy old vehicles and do not have it transferred to their name, only to later use the vehicles in criminal activities, he said.

To reduce traffic snarls in the city, the commissioner has banned the entry of heavy commercial vehicles in areas falling under jurisdiction of Ludhiana municipal corporation from 8 am to 10:30 pm.

However, light and medium vehicles, such as pick-up trucks, are permitted to ply on city roads from 12pm to 5pm.