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Cops wake up to rising tout menace at Mumbai airport

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In order to make city airport free of touts, the Mumbai police have decided to apply stringent sections of the Bombay Police Act.

Under the Act, touts can be detained for 24 hours, unlike the present one wherein the accused is left by paying a nominal fine of Rs200. Repeated offenders can even be extern out of the city.

The development comes after steps taken by the airport authorities in collaboration with the police allowing the passenger to get the vehicle’s registration number while booking a pre-paid taxi from the airport. After the initiative was introduced a few months ago, the police officials claim that the touting incident have come down by half.

“Terminal 2 is about to be inaugurated, which means more air passenger traffic to be channelled through Mumbai. So we don’t want any unwarranted incident due to touting that could tarnish Mumbai’s image,” said a senior police official, adding “hence, we have decided to apply sections of the Bombay Police Act, against tout which would help us to clean the airport from these offenders.”

The Sahar police station and the airport police station, have started following the new diktat.

Section 151 of the Bombay Police Act provides for preventive detention of certain persons likely to cause trouble. Though known for its misuse, the sections can be used by police in sensitive areas.The cops can also arrest the offenders for 24 hours, without a warrant, if they have enough proof against the accused. 

There have been several incidents in the past, wherein touts have reportedly cheated passengers, especially foreigners and in certain cases, even caused physical harm to them.

In order to counter similar problem at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, the government had in 2010 through legislation passed the Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices against Tourists Bill.

The bill provides for a maximum jail term of a year or fine of Rs10,000 or both. The Bill also has the provision for a maximum jail term of six months or fine of Rs5,000 or both for abetting touting or malpractice.

The Bill was passed after the murder of a foreigner by touts near the Delhi airport.

What is the Act?
Section 151 of the Bombay Police Act provides for preventive detention of certain persons likely to cause trouble. Though known for its misuse, these sections can be used by police in sensitive areas. The cops can arrest the offenders for 24 hours, without a warrant, if they have enough proof. There have been several incidents in the past, wherein touts have reportedly cheated passengers, especially foreigners

Bill in the Capital
In order to counter similar problem at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, the government had in 2010 through legislation passed the Delhi Prevention of Touting
and Malpractices against Tourists Bill.

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