TIRUCHY: The “pile-up” of impounded and abandoned vehicles in the “already crammed” police stations in the city, and the “never-ending” court litigations by owners to get them back are leading to concerns over the “health risks” imposed by the congestion and the hindrance to “free movement” within the premises for even the personnel.
In all the 14 police stations and two traffic investigation wing offices in the city, around 100 vehicles, including two-wheelers and heavy vehicles impounded in connection with cases ranging from accident to murder, can be found dumped anytime, sources said. Some police stations, particularly those at Gandhi Market, Cantonment and E Pudur, have even parked such vehicles on the roadside and under bridges over the “space constraints”, raising concerns over traffic problems.
An inspector of a city police station said that they handle about 10 abandoned vehicles alone every month. “Most of the impounded vehicles remain in police custody for months or years together due to pending court cases and because their owners do not come forward to claim them. Some vehicles have been lying unclaimed for more than five years. We send notices to the owners, but many don't respond," the inspector added. He blamed the “slow” disposal of such vehicles for the situation.
On the issue, SR Kishore Kumar, treasurer of the Criminal Courts Advocates Association in Tiruchy, said, "During Covid-19, the city police used the Armed Reserve (AR) ground to house vehicles impounded over rules violation. They could use the space to free the vehicle pile-up in the police stations."
K Senthil, a visitor at the Cantonment police station, shared his concerns. "The piled-up vehicles turn breeding ground for mosquitoes and rodents. We hence cannot sit or wait at the station for even a few hours," he said. Complaints also abound of oil leakage from the rusting vehicles.
Meanwhile, sources said that a senior police official had instructed city inspectors to properly park abandoned vehicles at the AR ground and have them auctioned off from there. The inspectors, however, failed to comply. When enquired, a senior police official in Tiruchy told TNIE, "Abandoned vehicles are auctioned off only after 90 days (of their being taken to police stations). We have been handling them properly. Currently, 300 vehicles are stationed in the AR ground for auction. Within the next 30 days, all of them will be auctioned off."
Mentioning their inability to auction off vehicles impounded over lawsuits without court approval, the official said, “There is no place other than the station to house them properly. Owners do not come forward to claim their vehicles back even after the court litigations are closed. We, however, are taking steps to clear all such vehicles from the stations."
Recalling his action of shifting such impounded vehicles to the AR grounds during his stint as commissioner of Madurai city police, ADGP (law and order) S Davidson Devasirvatham said, "It is the responsibility of the commissioner and deputy commissioners to dispose of the vehicles. I will look into it."