As ‘unauthorised’ DJs blare at Bhopal protest rally, cops mum on action

Bhopal: The city's residents witnessed an unusual scene on Wednesday afternoon when a DJ vehicle was used in a protest rally from Roshanpura to Polytechnic, passing through the busy New Market area.For nearly two hours, residents bore the brunt of amplified sound and traffic diversions. Many expressed frustration, pointing out that the use of such vehicles violates the Motor Vehicles Act and Court limits on noise pollution. Police sources, while refusing to go on record, indicated that the rally was held without formal permission and that officers did their best to control the situation as it unfolded.The incident has sparked debate over whether law enforcement should have allowed the vehicles at all. While the protest rallied against the Ashoka Garden murder accused, the decision to allow has raised the eyebrows of citizens. The rally's movement was shadowed by a police mobile van equipped with advanced law enforcement systems. This meant that monitoring was not limited to officers on the ground—those overseeing the situation through technology were also in the loop. Later in the evening, police permitted another such vehicle, whose blaring sound rattled doors and windows across the neighborhood. With darkness setting in, the DJ's flashing lights further obstructed traffic movement.1 Road, 3 Police StationsThe movement of DJ vehicles near Roshanpura often turns into a jurisdictional puzzle, with police stations passing the buck on who should intervene. The stretch is divided in a way that complicates enforcement: the west side along the BRTS road towards Raj Bhawan falls under Arera Hills Police Station, the left side is under New Market Police Station, and once the rally crosses the Banganga intersection, responsibility shifts to Shyamla Hills Police Station.This overlapping jurisdiction has led to confusion, with even complaints made to Dial 100 sometimes being forwarded to the wrong station, delaying action and leaving residents caught in the middle of the noise.