Tirunelveli: The ‘surgical strike’ on criminals by the police, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, R. Dhinakaran, over the past one year has significantly reduced the crime rate in the Range known for heinous crimes, especially murder for various reasons.
Though Kanniyakumari is known as a ‘relatively calm district’ owing to the lower crime rate, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts have witnessed extremely wicked crimes in the past, especially murders due to personal enmity and communal clashes.
“Hence, we had to initiate punitive measures against criminals after collecting all information about them, especially their modus operandi and association with other criminals or caste associations. Based on the collected data and updated intelligence inputs on a daily basis, we unleashed action against them, which has started yielding results,” Dr. Dhinakaran told on Monday.
“We strengthened the intelligence network from villages to towns and took timely action without any compromise, which is the prime reason for the drop in crime rate. Moreover, officers were exhorted to review pending cases, execute warrants and strengthen the cases pending before courts so as to ensure conviction,” Dr. Dhinakaran said.
As per the DIG’s ‘worksheet on criminals’, every Inspector of Police has been asked to prepare a comprehensive database on the activities of anti-socials over the past five years and their involvement in crimes.
It revealed that Tirunelveli was housing three gangs and five dreaded anti-socials, all involved in criminal activities either in this region or exporting crime to other regions of Tamil Nadu.
Similarly, the ‘worksheet’ revealed the presence of four gangs and two anti-socials in Thoothukudi district and Kanniyakumari district was sheltering two gangs.
Dr. Dhinakaran instructed the Police Inspectors to periodically review the status of these cases. Another strategy was that the DIG would speak to all DSPs in the three districts at 11 a.m. on Mondays to cross-check the Inspectors’ version.
“They (Inspectors) should know whether the trial is going on or the accused have been convicted. If not, they should take all-out measures to expedite the trial and get the accused convicted. Detention under the Goondas Act has been intensified. Police have been instructed to crush perpetrators of crime against women and children,” said Dr. Dhinakaran, whose action against a Valliyoor-based gang ensured the return of properties worth several crores of rupees to the rightful owners.
“We’ll sustain this momentum in the years to come and this systematic approach in controlling the crime will continue,” the DIG said.
]]>
