Yogi Adityanath applies brakes on police’s overdrive with bulldozer

The CM’s directive followed instances where local police officials in some districts have used the machine for other purposes like threatening criminals to surrender, post the assembly results. In Saharanpur, the police took a bulldozer to the house of two brothers accused of gangraping a minor and videos surfaced of the machine demolishing a part of a staircase of the house.

Similarly, in Pratapgarh, the police parked a bulldozer outside the house of the accused to get him to surrender. In Ambedkar, five men accused of gangrape surrendered before the police after threats of bulldozer action on their houses. In Fatehpur, part of the godown of a stolen trucks dealer was razed using a bulldozer when he was found absconding.

Following the CM’s instruction, ADG (law and order) gave a detailed statement stating that using the machine for “posturing” is wrong and “misuse of the bulldozer will not be tolerated”.

“There are clearcut guidelines that bulldozers can be used for demolition in case of illegal encroachment or illegal construction on any government land, that too after completing all legal formalities following the due process. But there are certain apprehensions that it is being used in all the cases which is why the government had to reiterate its instruction. It has been made clear to all our field officers that when the police is either using it or providing security in certain demolition, to first ensure that it is a fit case,” Kumar told ET.

“There should not be any lapse that will bring a bad name to the department or the government,” he said. Kumar said in case of illegal construction where the owner does not have an alternate residence and has been living there for a long time, proper arrangements should first be made to accommodate them.