Punjab Police conducted a five-day enforcement drive against illegal hooters, sirens, and flashers, checking more than 29,000 vehicles across the state, the Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The campaign resulted in 4,221 challans, 48 vehicle seizures, and the removal of 465 illegal devices.

What happened

The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab shared the results of the crackdown on X, stating in Punjabi: 'ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੇ ਚੇਤਾਵਨੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਕਿ ਨਿਯਮ ਤੋੜਨ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਖ਼ਿਲਾਫ਼ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਜਾਰੀ ਰਹੇਗੀ' ('Police warned that action against rule-breakers will continue'). The drive specifically targeted private and commercial vehicles fitted with hooters, sirens, and flashers not authorised under motor-vehicle regulations.

Across the five-day campaign, enforcement teams checked over 29,000 vehicles, issuing challans and seizing vehicles found in violation. A total of 465 illegal accessories were physically removed from offending vehicles on the spot.

Policy backdrop

The use of hooters, sirens, and red beacons on non-authorised vehicles has been restricted under central motor-vehicle law and reinforced by a Supreme Court of India order in 2013, which limited such devices to designated emergency and official vehicles. Despite the judicial direction, unauthorised use persisted widely across Indian states, often associated with projecting social status or bypassing traffic.

Indian states have periodically run short-term enforcement campaigns in response to repeated judicial directions against so-called VIP culture and noise pollution caused by illegal sirens. Punjab's drive fits within this broader national pattern of state-level compliance pushes under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's administration, which has publicly positioned itself as targeting privilege and lawlessness on public roads.

Stakeholders and impact

Private vehicle owners found using unauthorised accessories face challans and seizure of their vehicles, as demonstrated by the 48 seizures recorded during this drive. Residents in urban and semi-urban areas stand to benefit from reduced noise pollution and a clearer distinction between genuine emergency signals and those misused by private citizens.

Punjab Police traffic and enforcement units are the primary operational arm of the campaign, coordinating checks across multiple districts. The scale — over 29,000 vehicles checked in five days — signals a state-wide deployment rather than a localised effort.

What's next

The Chief Minister's Office has signalled that enforcement will not be a one-time exercise, with police explicitly warning that action against violators will continue. Observers will watch whether Punjab sustains challan and seizure operations beyond the initial campaign window, and whether neighbouring states adopt coordinated enforcement under uniform motor-vehicle rules.