Nagpur: City police have auctioned 1,118 abandoned vehicles, while another 877 are on the block following an order from commissioner of police Amitesh Kumar, who wanted police station premises to be free of clutter after having these vehicles parked there for several years in rusted condition.
In the coming days, the police top brass is also set to approach courts to return the vehicles to the complainants or to the lawful owners.
On February 26, 723 vehicles were auctioned while the process to dispose of around 877 too is underway. Some of the vehicles have been parked on the police station premises for several years and have rusted over the period of time.
Kumar said instructions have been issued to senior officers to release vehicles of complainants, recovered during police action, promptly after completing due formalities. “The order has been issued to ensure no vehicles are unnecessarily held back at the police stations. On the contrary, such vehicles should be handed over to the owner with the permission from the court or as the law permits,” he said.
The top cop has also instructed traffic police to remove abandoned vehicles and shift them to police headquarters until their owners are contacted and alerted to claim them.
DCP, traffic, Sarang Awad, who is coordinating the auction, said notices are being pasted on abandoned vehicles, especially on roads, so as to alert their owners that he or she is required to claim them within a stipulated period or else they shall be put up for auction. “We are approaching RTO to collect addresses of owners of such abandoned vehicles and sending letters. If there is no one to claim the vehicles, then these will be put up for auction after listing them on the police website,” he said.
Awad also said cops are also approaching court now for orders to release detained vehicles, which were used in crime. “In the next phase, the vehicles used in crimes would be released with the court’s permission. The police station premises would soon be seen devoid of these vehicles cluttering spaces and also leading to unaccountable losses,” he said.