Lorry owners urge DGP to address highway robberies and halt online fines

SLOFT demands action against highway robberies and online fines, urging immediate FIR filing for insurance claims.

The State Lorry Owners Federation-Tamil Nadu (SLOFT) submitted a memorandum to Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal, urging action against increasing highway robberies and demanding the cessation of online fines.

Led by president C. Dhanaraj, SLOFT functionaries presented the memorandum at the Namakkal SP office on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Dhanaraj criticised the police for issuing fines to trucks parked on the roadside or in designated parking bays without valid reasons, often categorising it as a general offence. He highlighted that fines were even being imposed on trucks waiting to load or unload goods outside industries and factories. He also raised concerns over fines being levied on vehicles travelling in other states and pointed out that the number of online fines had surged in the last four months. Mr. Dhanaraj called for an end to the online fining system.

Addressing the rise in highway robberies, Mr. Dhanaraj detailed incidents where thieves used vans to climb moving trucks and steal valuable goods such as clothing, medicines, and food items. These crimes were reported on several highways, including Madurai-Thoothukudi, Dindigul-Karur, Coimbatore-Palladam, and Dharapuram-Vaikundam. He criticised the police for their slow response, often taking a month to provide a Community Service Register (CSR) instead of filing an FIR, which is necessary for insurance claims.

“We insist that the police investigate the incident, and if they find it to be true, they should immediately file an FIR. This is important because if an FIR is filed, the company sending the goods can claim the insurance amount, or it will be deducted from the truck rental amount,” Mr. Dhanraj explained.

The federation also urged an increase in police patrolling to prevent diesel theft from parked trucks. The DGP assured them that the concerns would be addressed.