Keep off land, finance mafia, Home minister warns cops

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday warned of stringent action against police officers found guilty of having links with finance and land mafia.

Addressing senior police officers at a meeting held at the State Police headquarters here, Parameshwara said it had come to his notice that some officers were hand in glove with real estate dealers and land developers. “This will not be tolerated. Senior officers must advise their subordinates not to have nexus with such people and stop it right away,” he said.

Listing out his priorities, with women and child safety topping the list, he directed the police officers to ensure that cases such as disturbing communal peace, caste discrimination, honour killing, moral policing, eve-teasing, sexual harassment and rape should be dealt with an iron hand.

“Women and children comprise 50 per cent of the population and protecting them will help in improving the image of the police in society. It is observed that the acquittal rate is higher when compared with the conviction rate. From now on, we want the conviction rate to increase,” he said.

Parameshwara said there was an increase in the activities of anti-social elements in Mangaluru and Belagavi who are trying to break the cordial relationship between communities.

“In my observation, these two places are sensitive and some groups/ organisations are always waiting to create trouble. Such people should be booked and kept under the police radar.”

Bengaluru traffic
On the chaotic Bengaluru traffic, he said there was always a way to solve the problem. “We will have to chalk out a mechanism and implement it properly. Also, I would like to see senior traffic police officers spending at least two hours on the roads every day guiding traffic policemen.”

The minister said police officers should be in their uniform while on duty. “Most of the times, I have seen them in casual or civil dress. When they have to meet me or senior officers, they will have to be in police uniform,” he said.

Video conference
The minister said he would hold a review meeting with the range police officers once in 15 days thorough video conferencing. Video conferencing facility will be set up at his office and in the respective range offices, he said.

S K Patnaik, prinicpal secretary, Home department, said, “We have booked hundreds of anti-social elements under the Goonda Act. The police force is doing its best to maintain law and order. Already, 8,000 police personnel have been recruited and the government has granted permission to recruit another 8,000 personnel soon.”