"Trespassers Will Be Shot" Sign At Military Bases "Not Proper": Court

The Allahabad High Court observed that writing "Trespassers will be shot" on the premises of the armed forces for security is not proper.

Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav made the above observation while granting bail to Etvir Limbu, a Nepali national caught for illegally entering an Air Force Station in Allahabad in February while drunk.

"These type of words have a bad impact on the children, so the central government may take caution in writing these types of words. Light words should be used in place of 'Trespassers will be shot' and 'dekhte hi goli maar di jayegi (you will be shot at sight)'," the court said in its order dated May 31, 2024.

It was submitted on behalf of Etvir Limbu that he was falsely implicated in the case. He "unintentionally" reached Manauri Air Force Station, and since he was drunk and did not know Hindi, he could not communicate properly with the posted soldier. His identity card was also lost.

Earlier, the court had asked for guidelines about such writings on-premises.

"As per aforesaid guidelines of the above affidavit of compliance, it is true that trespassers are not allowed to enter into premises of armed forces for the purpose of security, but the language mentioned as 'dekhte hi goli maar di jayegi', in my opinion, is not proper, particularly, where the installation of armed forces is situated in a public place where the general public and children pass.

"These type of words have a bad impact on the children so the central government may take caution in writing these types of words," the court stated.

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