Ahmedabad police stations turn into ‘vehicle graveyards’ as nearly 6,000 seized vehicles pile up

Police stations across Ahmedabad are increasingly resembling scrapyards, with nearly 6,000 seized and stolen vehicles lying idle due to delays in legal proceedings, as per Gujarat Assembly data.

The data indicate that a total of 5,981 vehicles are currently parked at various police stations in the city, effectively turning several premises into makeshift scrapyards. Of these, 896 vehicles were seized in theft-related cases, while 5,085 were confiscated in connection with other offences.

Officials cited delays in court proceedings as the primary reason for the growing accumulation of vehicles. The disposal or return of such vehicles is subject to judicial orders, resulting in prolonged storage at police stations.

Despite limited space at most police facilities, the number of impounded vehicles continues to rise. In comparison, police stations in Vadodara have reported significantly fewer such vehicles, with 859 seized in other cases.

Over the past two years, Ahmedabad police have managed to recover and return 2,338 stolen vehicles to their rightful owners. However, 896 vehicles remain unclaimed or pending return. In Vadodara, 508 vehicles have been returned, while 176 are yet to be handed back.