While the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed an alarming rise in crimes against women and children across the country, Assam showed a sharp contrast, recording a 50% fall in crimes against women.
According to the state Director General of Police, stringent measures and zero tolerance have resulted in strong impact across all categories of crime, especially crime against women.
Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Assam DGP G. P. Singh, IPS, detailed the measures while justifying the use of force by police against criminals.
WEAPONS ARE GIVEN FOR USE AGAINST CRIMINALS
The latest NCRB 2022 report reveals that in Assam, there has been a fall across the board amongst all categories of crime.
On whether the fear of police encounter could be one of the reasons behind the sharp fall in crimes, state DGP G. P. Singh said the police has been given various kinds of weapons, to be used in different situations under a set of rules and laws with stringent procedural and operational oversight.
“Wherever an aberration is noticed, the matter is enquired and appropriate action taken against erring police personnel. However, fear of misuse cannot and should not stop police from using the powers given by law,” he said.
However, some of the measures employed by the police to instill the fear of police in the mind of criminals have raised eyebrows in the past, especially the ‘encounters’ which had created quite some controversies as human rights activists flagged them as “deliberate shooting”.
Dismissing allegations about taking the extra-judicial step under the guise of a ‘zero tolerance policy’, Mr. Singh said that all police actions are open to people’s scrutiny along with answerability to instruments of law. He pointed out that globally, police forces have been given millions of weapons.
“If they are not be used against criminals and terrorist, then why have they been given? It’s our responsibility to keep our people safe using all lawful means at our disposal. The crime would keep changing its face, typology and dynamics. The challenge before any police force is to adapt to changing scenario and stay one-step ahead of criminals,” Mr. Singh said.
FALSE CASES & HOSTILE WITNESSES BOOKED
The cases of crime against women hovered over 26,000 every year from 2018 till 2021 in the state, but came down to just over 14,000 last year. Even the rate of crime against women, which continued to be over 150% from 2018 to 2021, has fallen to double digits in the state.
Further, the number of rape cases came down to 1,100 in 2022 from 1,600 every year in the 2018-2021 period. Similarly, there has been a dip in cases of assault on women and sexual harassment.
“The crimes against women have decreased because of enhanced crime prevention measures, better investigation leading to arrest and charge sheeting of the accused. We’ve also started taking action against those who register false cases and against those who turn hostile during trial,” Mr. Singh said.
He also added that one of the most important aspects of the entire strategy is regular crime reviews at police station, sub-division and district level, where all stakeholders of criminal justice system including investigators, prosecutors and magistrates come together to ensure an improved criminal justice system.
“The Police HQ reviews crime across the state on a monthly basis along with CID while the Hon’ble CM reviews the same every six months. All these measures have resulted in strong impact across all categories of crime, especially crime against women,” he said.
NCRB REPORT ON ASSAM UNPRECEDENTED
For Assam, the fall in crime rate recorded by NCRB is unprecedented. Although these has been a decline in all categories of crimes, the decrease in the rate of cases against women, children and human trafficking stands out by its sheer fall.
The latest NCRB 2022 report reveals that in Assam, the cases of crime against women hovered over 26,000 every year from 2018 till 2021, but came down to just over 14,000 last year. Even the rate of crime against women, which continued to be over 150% from 2018 to 2021, has fallen to double digits in the state.
Also, the number of rape cases came down to 1,100 in 2022 from 1,600 every year in the 2018-2021 period. Similarly, there has been a dip in cases of assault on women and sexual harassment.
