STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: According to the Crime India report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Assam has a low conviction rate for crimes as compared to the national average. Besides, the case disposal rate is low and case pendency is very high. The quality of investigation is 'poor' that results in low conviction rate. Manpower shortage in police stations is one of the reasons for this. Under such circumstances, it is surprising that 27 Sub-Inspectors of the same batch have been posted in the Assam Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for the last 12 years.
These 27 SIs have been specially trained to conduct crime investigations. But they are now working under the Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS) project– a project which involves digitalization of data related to FIR registration, investigation, and charge sheets in all police stations in order to develop a national database of crime and criminals.
Some of the SIs said, "This project does not require officers as it involves only data entry and trained constables and homeguards are doing the data entry."
They further said, "Only a few officers of our batch have been deputed to police stations in other districts. Most of us are in the CID working under this project. We have been trained for crime investigation but we are posted here for the last 12 years."
Many petitions have been submitted by this batch to engage them in crime investigation, which will surely improve the quality of investigation and ensure lower case pendency. But although many senior officers are willing to transfer them to districts and utilize them in investigation, the written order from the DGP is yet to come.
When contacted, a senior police officer said, "Police officers can gain a lot of experinece if they are transferred to different districts. These 27 SIs may have been kept in the CID for some special cases. They have approached the DGP and he will decide what to do in this regard."
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