Dismissing Opposition’s accusation that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday said he was “very much” satisfied with the performance of the police department but stressed that the “next one year” was very crucial, in an apparent reference to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Stalin’s remarks came during a law and review meeting chaired by him at the Secretariat, a day after AIADMK and PMK accused the government of failing to maintain peace in the state, pointing to a “rapid increase” in the number of murders and burglaries in Tamil Nadu. Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami had on Monday said the state witnessed at least 15 murders in two days and appealed to Stalin to allow the police to function independently.
Maintaining that the state was “peaceful”, Stalin told police officers to ensure that strict action is taken against drug peddlers to ensure that Tamil Nadu is “free of drugs.” Singling out usage of drugs as the prime reason for crimes like murder and sexual assault on women, Stalin asked Superintendents of Police (SPs) to work towards eliminating drug usage from their districts.
With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections weighing heavily on his mind, Stalin said the police should ensure that there are no “law and order issues that affect” the people for the next one year.
“Police officers should be very cautious and vigilant as Lok Sabha elections are approaching. Suspects should be treated with dignity at police stations and custodial deaths should be eradicated. Importance should be given for the safety and security of women and children,” Stalin told the review meeting.
The Chief Minister said the police should “nip in the bud” any law and order issue before it becomes an issue for the people, besides attending to every complaint from the common man, especially women. He also asked the police to ensure that hooch tragedies like the ones in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts don’t recur in the future and directed SPs to hold review meetings once in a week.
“While we prevent caste and communal violence, the focus should also be on people who fan communal tensions via social media. The number of such people is increasing, and they create unrest in the society. Innocent people fall victim to such people’s propaganda. The police should identify them and ensure they are brought to book,” the Chief Minister added.
He also asked Home Secretary P Amudha and Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal to hold monthly review meetings with SPs and Commissioners to ensure that instructions given to them are followed and complied with.