Want to protect your tractor from theft? Chain it to the ground like you do with your cattle. That is the solution that the Haryana Police have to offer to farmers after they have been unable to crack cases of three tractors being stolen in the last one week in Jhajjar district. All that a tractor owner needs to do is purchase iron chains,erect a large iron nail (khoonta) in the ground and cuff the tractor to it to prevent the theft, Jhajjar SP Patram Singh said. The iron chains are easily available in the village markets as these are used for cuffing the cattle,he said. The same iron chains could be used to cuff the tractors. It shall definitely help prevent theft, Patram Singh said. A set of instructions issued by the district police chief (The Indian Express has a copy) state that the tractor owners should also devise such techniques which could immobilise the tractor and prevent theft. Also,they should also create secure parking spots for tractors. The district police officers have been asked to involve the village panchayats to pass on the SPs instructions to the villagers who own tractors. The state police has also issued orders for setting up special checkpoints across the district from 1 am to 4 am daily,to check tractor thefts. The in-charge of police posts have been instructed not to let any tractor pass through a checkpost from midnight till morning,unless the driver produces valid documents.
