Dramatic scenes played out in Panchkula’s Sector 14 and nearby residential areas on Tuesday night as deputy commissioner of police (DCP, traffic) Amrinder Singh chased down a car flashing a red-blue beacon and impounded it. The driver was later issued a ₹ 30,000 for multiple traffic violations.
To be sure, the use of red and blue beacons is strictly controlled in the country. Such lights are only allowed on emergency and disaster management vehicles such as police cars, fire engines, ambulances, and defence and paramilitary vehicles. Instead, the driver, who was accompanied by another man, allegedly accelerated and drove into a residential area. The station house officer (SHO) of the city traffic police station was called to the spot and the vehicle was checked.
In a move to end VIP culture, the Supreme Court had in 2013 prohibited politicians, bureaucrats and even judges from using these lights on their vehicles. Police said the car reached nearly 90 kmph while attempting to evade the DCP. Singh followed the vehicle for around 5 km for nearly 20 minutes before it slowed down near the Sector 15 market, where he managed to stop it. The driver was issued a challan and the Ertiga impounded and taken to the Sector 14 police station. The driver, according to police, is a 25-year-old Sector 10 resident.
Panchkula police said they would continue action against vehicles using unauthorised red-blue lights, sirens, black films, illegal stickers and other prohibited items.
