Assam: Guwahati Police Seize 9 Private Vehicles Fitted With Sirens And Warning Lights

The Guwahati police launched a crackdown against the illegal use of sirens and ‘red and green warning’ lights fitted in private vehicles, that are usually meant to be used by the police

File photo of accused Arin Kataki with an assault rifle

Guwahati: In a crackdown against the illegal use of sirens and ‘red and green warning’ lights fitted in private vehicles, that are usually meant to be used by the police, the Guwahati police have seized a total of nine such vehicles in less than 24 hours in Assam’s Guwahati. Personnel from the Basistha police station, under the Guwahati police commissionerate, have seized three compact Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs), three urban Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), two off-road SUVs, and a luxury SUV.

Notably, though the owners of all these seized vehicles are businesspersons, a contractor, a government employee, and police official, the vehicles were used by their sons, all of whom are students, Guwahati Commissioner of Police (CP), Diganta Barah said on Saturday.

While two owners of the compact MPVs are businesspersons and another a homemaker, wife of a Guwahati-based Assistant Director of Employment, the vehicles were used by their sons, two of them aged 20, and are pursuing their Bachelor of Arts (BA), second semester, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, second semester, and class 12, respectively. On the other hand, while one owner of the urban SUVs is a businessman, another is an Inspector with the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam police, and the third is a homemaker, wife of a retd. Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, and the vehicles were used by their sons, the first pursuing his BA fourth semester studies, second BA second semester, and the third Master of Science in Agriculture, respectively. The owners of the other three vehicles are businessmen and a contractor, and used by their sons, with two of them pursuing their BA fourth semester studies, and another, BA in Sociology, CP Barah said.

Seizure list of the vehicles

The crackdown on such vehicles came in the wake of a hit-and-run case which led to the death of a 54-year-old man in Guwahati last month. The private vehicle, an urban SUV, involved in this case, too had a siren, red and green warning lights, and with ‘Govt. Of Assam’ written on its registration plates.

“On January 26 this year, at around 8.30 pm, one person Narabahadur Thapa, was hit by an unknown vehicle at the National Highway (NH)-27, near Nalapara, under the jurisdiction of the Basistha police station in Guwahati, causing grievous injuries resulting in death of the injured person on the spot. The vehicle involved managed to flee from the spot leaving the injured person lying on the road unattended. In this regard, a case was registered at the Basistha police station, vide case number 62/24, under sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 304 (A) (death of any person by rash or negligent act), of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” CP Barah said on Friday.  

During investigation, it came to light that the suspected vehicle was fitted with red and green lights, as is used in police vehicles, and was also fitted with siren like equipment, and as such, police was clueless whether it was a police vehicle or any private vehicle fitted with such equipment. The police continued its investigation and finally got clues regarding possible involvement of a private urban SUV. Accordingly, Arin Kataki (20), a resident of Guwahati, has been apprehended, and put to thorough interrogation, during which the detained person has confessed to the crime,” he added.  

CP Barah said that based on information received during the investigation, the police recovered the vehicle, bearing registration number AS01-FF-0555, which was involved in the hit-and-run case on January 26, and was kept hidden in a garage in Guwahati. 

“Surprisingly it was found that in the vehicle, it was written as Govt. Of Assam. The vehicle was found to be fitted with red and green warning lights and a siren. During investigation, new sections 201/304 of the IPC have been added in the case for causing destruction of evidence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The accused driver Arin Kataki is presently pursuing his Bachelor of Legislative Law (BA LLB) from a Meghalaya-based private university. The accused, son of an Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) at the Forest Resources and Survey Division, Guwahati, is found to be leading a complete undisciplined life,” CP Barah added.  

CP Barah told ABP Live on Saturday that the accused Arin Kataki was arrested and produced before a court and later granted bail by the court.

The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast. 

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