Policing with a view to preventing crimes: DGP

‘Action to prevent crimes against women and children is the top priority of the police’

In an exclusive interview to The Hindu, Tamil Nadu Director- General of Police C. Sylendra Babu counters the criticism over law and order in the State. He also explains the steps taken by the police to prevent crimes and to ensure women’ s safety, the drive against rowdy elements and operation ‘ganja vettai’ .

The spate of crimes of murder in Chennai itself is a made-up story. The Commissioner of Police, Chennai City, clarified that it was not 20 murders in May as projected, but it was only 10. And, in eight of these murders ,there was no previous enmity between the victim and the accused! They were all due to sudden provocation. On the allegations of poor law and order, let us take a look at the present situation. There are no caste clashes, communal violence, police firing, liquor death, labour unrest, crime break-out, train robberies, bank robbery by armed gangs. In the absence of any of these law and order disturbances, it is unfair to cook up a story of poor law and order situation. Rather, I would say law and order has been so good, the State has never been as peaceful as it is now. You will realise it in the backdrop of what has happened in the past — the police firing in Paramakudi-seven deaths, Thoothukudi-13 deaths. In the Koodankulam agitation, the atomic power plant was under siege for weeks together!

Action to prevent crimes against women and children is the top priority of the Tamil Nadu police today. All of us know that registration of complaints is the key, and we started a drive in earnest. It can be gauged from the number of cases we have registered in the last one year. When we compare the number of cases registered during 2020-21 with those registered in 2021-22, it would be evident that we are in a mission mode to register every complaint of crime against women and children.

Though the figures could paint a picture of an increase in the number of crimes, they only show that the police have registered cases of more crimes and did a systematic investigation. In the meantime, the crimes that cannot be suppressed, like dowry death, has come down by 50%.

The gang rape in Vellore came to light during a police investigation of a case of robbery. In fact, the victim did not even report this crime and we had to send an officer to Bihar to get her statement. The Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram incidents were also brought to light because of the proactive role played by the police. In the Cuddalore case, a DSP who was on night rounds found a lonely lady and, on enquiry with the help of women officers, found that she was sexually assaulted. The police insisted that she prefer a complaint of rape. In cases of sexual assault by known people, what matters is the action taken by the police. The Virudhunagar case was transferred to the CB-CID and a charge sheet has already been filed. In the Vellore case, trial has commenced.

It is not lack of policing; rather it is because of sensitive policing that these crimes of sexual offences came to light. Owing to the transparent and swift action by the police, victims are approaching the police without any fear or apprehension. Stringent action, such as arrest, detention under the Goondas Act and swift prosecution, are being taken in such cases.

Both deaths are being investigated by the CB-CID and the investigation alone will prove the guilt or otherwise of the police. In the case of death in Thiruvannamalai of a person in prison, not in the police station, there was no injury on the person except the injury caused by CPR done at the government hospital.