Crime rate, case pendency came down in State in 2022: DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam's Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said on Monday that the crime rate in the State, which was previously at an average of 366 cases per lakh of population, has now come down to 200 cases per lakh of population due to various steps taken by the Assam Police. The case pendency also drastically came down to 58,908 cases at the end of 2022, as against 95,994 cases at the end of 2021 and more than one lakh cases at the end of 2020. Further, the charge sheet percentage also went up to 48 per cent in 2022, as against 39 per cent in the previous year.

Addressing a press conference at the Assam Police headquarters here, the DGP said that these achievements will improve the investigation officer-to-case ratio and thereby enhance the quality of investigation and supervision. Further, the number of cases per investigation officer on an average has come down to 25 cases, as against 52 cases at the end of 2021.

Mahanta said that crimes have come down due to various measures taken by Assam Police, such as cracking down on the crime syndicates, keeping close watch on repeat offenders, and increased visibility and identification of hotspots. These actions have resulted in crime prevention and the number of cases reported came down to 69,439 at the end of 2022, as against 1,33,239 at the end of 2021. Crimes against women also drastically came down to 12,034 cases in 2022, as against 29,046 cases in 2021 and also against an annual average of 27,240 cases during the period 2017- 2021. He said that this is due to setting up of Special Cells for Women in collaboration of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), coordinated approach by all stakeholders like Assam Police, Social Welfare Department, NGOs, Labour Department, Health, and Education Department and due to capacity building and sensitization programmes for Assam Police.

Even crimes against children came down to 4,306 cases, as against 5,282 cases in the previous year. The number of human trafficking cases also came down to 96 cases, as against 203 in the previous year. This was due to setting up of Anti-Human Trafficking Units in each district, creating a post of Superintendent of Police (AHT) at CID HQ and providing infrastructure to all the Anti-Human Trafficking Units under Nirbhaya Fund, the DGP said.

Cyber crimes reported in the State also came down to 1,781 cases, as against 4,846 cases in the year 2021. This reduction was due to prompt action on the cyber fraudsters, de-activating of SIMs and WhatsApp accounts involved in cyber frauds, monitoring of the social media platforms 24x7 for unlawful posts and those against women and children. Further, the Cyber Fraud Call Centre was also successful in tracing and freezing Rs. 6.41 crore of cyber fraud amounts pertaining to 2,177 cases, with a success rate of more than 18 per cent.

The DGP said that all-out efforts against organized crimes and crime syndicates by Assam Police is continuing and a total of 2,878 cases were registered under the NDPS Act in 2022, as against 455 cases in 2018, 828 cases in 2019, 980 cases in 2020 and 2,271 cases in 2021. Assam Police arrested 4,691 drug traffickers, seized 112 kg of heroin, 49,000 kg of ganja, 52 lakh tablets, more than 21 lakh cough syrup bottles, 215 kg of opium etc., in 2022. The conviction percentage of NDPS Act cases in the year 2022 was around 47 per cent and 26 habitual drug traffickers have been detained under PIT NDPS Act cases. Similarly, Assam Police is going hammer and tongs against cattle smugglers and a total of 1,181 cases have been registered, 633 vehicles seized, 1,356 smugglers arrested and 12,402 cattle rescued. The Burmese supari rackets are also being dealt with a firm hands and more than 1.07 lakh kg of Burmese supari have been seized in 199 cases during 2022. Further, the drive against illicit liquor and smuggling of liquor is also going on in full swing and a total of 2.18 lakh litres of liquor have been seized by registering 288 cases and arresting 371 accused since the present Government took over.

He added that traffic-rules violators are also being dealt with a firm hand and a total of Rs 74.53 crore of fines were levied under the Motor Vehicles Act during 2022.

Mahanta said for the first time in the history of various police forces of the country, the Assam Police conducted a discussion in 2022 with the Chief Justice and other judges of the Gauhati High Court regarding the application of forensic science in jurisprudence.

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