Three cops ride seized SUV, land in locked nightmare
LUCKNOW: Using a seized SUV for a trip to Lakhimpur Kheri district turned out to be a nightmarish journey for three police personnel posted at Gomti Nagar police station in Lucknow.
A sub-inspector and two constables decided to go to Lakhimpur district, 143 km from the state capital, on Wednesday in a 2018 model SUV ((UP 32 KJ 1359) that they had seized on Tuesday night after two parties were involved in a dispute.
However, the police claimed that the S-I and the two constables had gone to investigate a case.
When the vehicle owner learnt, much to his shock, that his SUV was at Nai Basti village in Lakhimpur Kheri, he used the GPS-based vehicle tracking and locking system to lock the vehicle.
As a result, the policemen got locked inside the SUV and had to remain stranded there for over three hours.
A police official privy to the matter said, “The moment the owner locked the vehicle, its engine was also locked. They could not come out of the vehicle.”
The owner contacted the police about his vehicle being used by someone. He said police personnel remained trapped inside the vehicle for over three hours.
When police officials realized what had happened, they requested the owner to open the car so that those trapped inside the SUV could be ‘rescued’.
“The vehicle had covered 143 kilometres and stopped seven times during the journey,” said the owner’s son, adding, “We were shocked to see the message we received from the GPS system.”
Later, the Gomtinagar police station incharge was sent to the lines over the incident.
A communique from Lucknow police commissioner Sujeet Pandey’s office said, “SHO (station house officer) Gomtinagar Pramendra Kumar Singh has been sent to the lines.”
A police spokesperson said, “SHO has been sent to the lines. A probe will be done against those who took the vehicle and action will be taken against the erring ones.”
Explaining the system installed in the vehicle, an expert said vehicle tracking and locking system based on GPS was introduced for the safety of vehicles.
After the owner realizes that vehicle is not in safe hands, he can send a message to the micro controller that further sends signals to stop the engine as well as lock the doors. It can only be restarted after the authorised person sends the password to the micro controller.