CM lays stress on intensive patrolling to prevent crime

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asked senior police officials to work more on methods for preventing crime.

He said this while chairing the senior police officers’ annual conference here on Monday. The chief minister advised the police to be people friendly.

Sources said Siddaramaiah referred to the Kammanahalli molestation case and political murders in Mandya and felt that both could have been prevented if there was intensive patrolling.

“The incidents like the one that happened on the night of December 31 could hav been prevented with intensified patrolling. The patrolling on that night should have been high,'' he is said to have told senior police officers.

Terming the political killings in Mandya reported in the first week of this month a failure to act promptly on intelligence inputs, Siddaramaiah directed the senior police officers to take intelligence inputs seriously.

He is said to have reffered to a spate of murders as lack of swift response anticipating retaliation in such killings. 

Later speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said instructions have been passed to DGP&IGP Om Prakash to take stern action against the police staff involved in the rape on a mentally unsound woman in Tumakuru.

“The ASI accused of raping a woman in Tumakuru has been placed under suspension. He has already been arrested and I have instructed them to  investigate the case and to take steps to dismiss him from the service, if charges are proved,” he said.

On the pay hike for police personnel, Siddaramaiah said the government has already released a partial pay hike. “More allocation will be made in the next budget. The government recently promoted 10,000 lower-rung staff who have been working in the same rank for several decades,’’ he added.

Home Minister G Parameshwara also attended the meeting convened at the state police headquarters on Nrupathunga Road.

Umashree for stricter laws
Women and Child Development Minister Umashree on Monday said exceeding the limits of morality is the reason for increasing atrocities against women. While responding to questions from reporters on the recent incidents of assault against women in Bengaluru, she blamed perverts among men as responsible for molestation cases.

Even the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) has not prevented crimes against women. Therefore, self-restraint becomes important. The Centre should enact stricter laws to take action against those who commit crime against women. There is a demand for capital punishment for those who indulge in such acts. It is incorrect to blame women for increasing crime against women, she said.

Referring to the Tumakuru rape incident involving an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), Umashree said her department would be rehabilitating the mentally challenged woman who was reportedly raped by the policeman. She has also urged the home minister to terminate the service of the ASI.