Seized vehicles lie dumped at Laheria Sarai police station in Darbhanga. Picture by Mohan Mahato

Darbhanga, Nov. 8: All superintendents of police under Darbhanga range have been directed to make an inventory of the seized vehicles by December to rid police station premises of old automobiles. But no officer has shown any interest so far despite the directive being issued in April.

Thousands of seized vehicles at various police stations are getting damaged despite the courts disposing the cases concerned.

Police officers had been asked to make the inventory of such vehicles so that they could be auctioned and help decongest the police station premises.

Whenever, the police seize a vehicle, they make an inventory of the automobile rather than making a detailed list of every spare part of the vehicle.

However, such inventories are difficult to maintain. Many a time, vehicle parts are stolen and the police hardly come to know about it.

Unidentified persons sell parts of the vehicles and keeping a constant watch on them was turning out to be an Herculean task for the police.

According to sources, vehicles parked on the police station premises for years have an adverse effect on the environment.

Considering it difficult to maintain an inventory of the seized vehicles kept in the malkhana, a directive was issued that the vehicles must be disposed off immediately.

The directive said no such vehicle should be disposed of, the trial for which is still before the court.

Once the court verdict regarding the vehicle is out, the vehicle could be brought for auction after getting prior permission of the chief judicial magistrate concerned.

In case of unclaimed vehicles lying on any police station premises, the prior permission of the executive magistrate would be required to bring them for auctioning.

Inspector-general of Darbhanga range, R.K. Mishra told The Telegraph: “I have asked all superintendents of police of 10 districts, including Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar, under my jurisdiction to make an inventory of vehicles that are lying on the police stations premises so that they could be auctioned after completing the legal procedures. They are harmful for the environment and its depreciating value is a liability.”

“All police stations have seized vehicles, including buses, trucks, SUVs, three-wheelers and motorcycles, which have occupied a majority portion of the premises. We have taken the initiative to vacate them to clean up the premises. For making the inventory, the police officers have been given a deadline of December end,” Mishra added.

Sources said the seized firearms kept in the malkhana of Lalit Narayan Mithila University police station of Darbhanga was converted into agri-tools on October 18 this year after getting permission of the court.

Similarly, Mishra took up the cudgels to clean up the police premises.