Patiala, January 7: Any lapse on part of policemen in handling cases related to motorcycle thefts in all Punjab districts “will invite major action” and “clubbing motorcycle theft cases in a single FIR to reduce number of theft cases” in the police stations concerned will be viewed seriously. The Punjab Police top brass has warned to “stop this practice” and strict action will be taken against police officials indulging in this.
Following a spurt in “terror attacks and targeted killings” in Punjab, in which the assailants used bikes, the state police has now issued “strict orders for all SHO-level officers in Punjab to ensure “proper investigations” and registration of cases involving bike thefts. The directions come after the police top brass was informed that “in routine, bike thefts are not taken seriously by the police”.
In a letter addressed to all commissioners and SSPs posted in various districts of Punjab, the Bureau of Investigation has highlighted the negligence on part of police station-level officers in handling such cases. “In some recent cases, the modus operandi of using stolen motorcycles to commit targeted killings and other sensational crimes has been observed. Stolen vehicles laden with explosives can also be used to target VVIPs. Even a single such incident has enough potential to shatter the hard-earned peace in the state,” reads the letter, dated December 28, 2018.
The letter, a copy of which is with The Tribune, further states, “It is very common practice that some SHOs even avoid to register an FIR, or club many complaints of vehicle thefts in one FIR. Strict action should be taken against such SHOs as every case of theft or stolen vehicle should be given utmost importance.” “The district police do not collect and analyse relevant data and thus the accused, if arrested, gets acquitted in court. One continuous special report is to be prepared within 72 hours of such FIRs detailing efforts made, investigation leads or video footage or evidence collected,” mentions the letter.
Sources said in the past many cases in Punjab, including the November 2018 grenade attack at Nirankari Bhawan, in which three persons were killed, and the Maqsudan police station hand grenade blasts case of September 14, 2018, the accused had used a bike for the crime. Even the accused Shabnamdeep Singh arrested by the Patiala police in November 2018 was allegedly tasked by his handlers with throwing a grenade at a large gathering using a bike.
Source Tribune India
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