NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police wants khaki uniform of civil defence volunteers changed, citing its misuse. The force plans to formally write to the AAP government complaining of incidents involving these volunteers issuing Covid challans while posing as police personnel. Incidentally, three civil defence volunteers were arrested on Thursday.
Three FIRs were lodged in this connection in northeast, New Delhi and west district. The police on Thursday also appealed to the people to verify the identity of police personnel before accepting any challan. It said these volunteers have no power to issue Covid challans such as the one for not wearing masks.
“These volunteers are violating rules and are misusing the khaki uniform by posing as Delhi Police personnel. Many cases of these volunteers faking as police personnel have come up in the past few months. Sometimes, even Delhi Police personnel get confused due to the colour of the uniform,” said a senior Delhi Police officer.
“We’ll soon write to the Delhi government urging it to change the colour of the uniforms of these volunteers.” Police sources said at least three FIRs have been lodged and four volunteers arrested during the peak Covid time for issuing fake challans. “Since these volunteers are mistaken as police personnel, their misconduct is attributed to the police,” said a police officer.
East District Magistrate AK Mishra has said even when these volunteers are accompanied by SDM officials, they are not authorized to issue Covi d challans. The police recently arrested three such volunteers who targeted couples in Talkatora Garden by issuing challans for not wearing a mask and took payment via Paytm, sharing the amount.
The accused had even issued a fake challan receipt. Around 10,000 civil defence volunteers were deployed on Covid duty at various depar tment s and quarantine centres, containment zones and other areas. These volunteers are paid Rs 730 per day.