Writing 'Trespassers will be shot' on armed forces' premises not proper: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has observed that writing “Trespassers will be shot” on premises belonging to the armed forces for the purpose of security is not proper.

Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav made the above observation while granting bail to Etvir Limbu, a Nepali national apprehended for illegally entering into an Air Force Station here in an intoxicated condition in February.

“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’,” the court said in its order dated May 31, 2024.

It was submitted on behalf of applicant Limbu that he has been falsely implicated in the case. He “unintentionally” reached Manauri Air Force Station, and since the applicant was in an intoxicated condition and had no knowledge of Hindi, he could not explain properly to the posted soldier and his identity card was
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.