Haryana DGP seeks details of places of worship on police land

AMBALA/CHANDIGARH: Haryana director general of police Manoj Yadava has asked the police field units to ensure that places of worship, that have come up at police lines, stations and posts in an irregular manner, are regularised.

In a February 12 communication, the state police chief said that as per the Punjab Police Rules, no place of worship or any other building can be erected on police premises.rule 3.3 (2) said that no place of worship or other building, not being a government building, shall be erected by members of the police force or other persons in the police lines or other police premises without sanction of the state government obtained through the inspector general.

It further states that a list of all such places of worship (including praying platforms) on police premises, giving the dimensions, area, boundaries and a brief history shall be maintained in each district and offices of deputy inspector general.

No additions or enlargements to such building or encroachments on government land shall be permitted without sanction of the state government, the rules state.

The DGP’S communication said that if any place of worship is already existing on premises of police lines, stations, posts with no record of having obtained permission of the state government, a consolidated proposal giving complete details including dimensions, area occupied should be sent to the DGP office through the range inspector general or commissioner of police so that ex-post facto approval of the state government can be obtained to regularise the constructions.

When asked about it, the DGP said that there were public complaints about such structures coming up on government land and an NGO has also raised the issue.

“The matter is lingering for past three years. The Punjab Police Rules clearly lay that a list of all places of worship on police land has to be maintained by the range IGS. We need to regularise these places. I found that many new officers at the level of SPS are not even familiar with these rules. So, it is important to make them aware,” he said.

As per records, there is a temple, a gurdwara and a mazar at the Police Lines in Ambala City without any permit.

Also, there are two temples at Parao police station, one temple each at Shahazadpur Traffic police station, all CIA units in Ambala and four police posts where no permission was found in the records, as per police documents.

We need to regularise these places. I found that many new officers at the level of SPS are not familiar with these rules. MANOJ YADAVA, director general of police