Tell guards not to wear khaki uniform, Chandigarh police to PGI, Panjab University - Hindustan Times
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Tell guards not to wear khaki uniform, Chandigarh police to PGI, Panjab University

Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By, Chandigarh
Apr 18, 2017 09:48 AM IST

The move comes days after students’ clash with police and private security guards in varsity

Chandigarh director general of police (DGP) Tajender Singh Luthra has written a letter to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) stating that it should direct its security guards not to wear khaki uniform. A similar letter to Panjab University will also be sent shortly, added a senior official. Police are concerned that these guards are passing off as police personnel, which could cause embarrassment to the department.

The guards at PU are not policemen, the perception that is usually held true due to their Khaki uniform.(Anil Dayal//HT)
The guards at PU are not policemen, the perception that is usually held true due to their Khaki uniform.(Anil Dayal//HT)

The need to write to the PU authorities arose after last week’s clash with the students where it was alleged that police was also involved in attack on mediapersons.

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“That may well be the handiwork of private security guards as our personnel weren’t involved in that,” a police official said.

The DGP’s letter adds that anyone feeling harassed by the men or women in khaki could attribute it to the Chandigarh police when they have nothing to do with this. Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) titled wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent covers this provision. Anyone violating this law is liable to be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to Rs 200 or with both.

Section 21 of the Private Security Agencies (regulation) Act, 2005, also bars donning of police uniform by security guards. It says that if any guard or supervisor wears the uniform which has the appearance or bearing of the distinctive marks of that uniform, he and the proprietor of the private security agency shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term that may extend to one year, in addition to the fine.

“Whoever, not belonging to a certain class of public servants, wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by that class of public servants, with the intention that it may be believed, or with the knowledge that it is likely to be believed, that he belongs to that class of public servants, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to `200 or with both,” says the section.

Law speaks of 3-month jail

The police have thrown the rule book at the PGI and added that wearing uniform of police or military was illegal under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Anyone feeling harassed by the men or women in khaki could attribute it to the Chandigarh police when they have nothing to do with this. Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) titled wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent covers this provision. Anyone violating this law is liable to be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to Rs 200 or with both.

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