SHILLONG, May 9 � Meghalaya police has launched a crackdown on the use of tinted glass in vehicles following a Supreme Court directive to ban such tinted glass to minimise car crimes.
The State Traffic police personnel have already started taking action against vehicle owners who are using tinted glass from May 4, Meghalaya Director General of Police N Ramachandran, said.
Only VVIPs with �Z� and �Z plus� category security will be exempted from this new directive of the Supreme Court, he said. The court banned use of tinted glass in vehicles following a public interest litigation filed by Avishek Goenka seeking complete ban on use of such glasses.
�There would be no relaxation for anybody, not even government officials. Only the Chief Minister and people with Z� and �Z plus� category security would be exempted,� Ramachandran said.
Removal of these dark films on the vehicles, Ramachandran said, would help the police in detecting anti-socials moving around in vehicles. The move, many say, would help reduce the rate of rape in cars and also kidnapping.
Meghalaya Government had banned use of tinted glasses on vehicles last year, but could not implement the order totally due to protests.
However, today women�s groups particularly have welcomed the move of the State Government. Chairperson of Meghalaya State Commission Roshan Warjri said that the Supreme Court verdict would help in reducing car crimes.
Agnes Kharshiing, a women�s group leader, had similar views and said that the verdict would help the State police in tackling car crimes, adding that the State police must take stern action against the violators who continue to use tinted glass on their vehicles.
Meanwhile, in its order, the Supreme Court has said that there should be 70 per cent transparency in the windshield and the rear glass and 50 per cent transparency in windows if the product is part of the car manufacturer. However, the order bans the use of dark film on glasses of the vehicles.
