Staff Reporter,
Bongaigaon, July 28: Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Assam Police must develop SoPs to help it to probe ‘love jihad’, as the government is contemplating to provide legislative backing to ensure prosecution of accused held for polygamy and child marriages. Addressing the 4th SP conference being held at Bongaigaon today, the Chief Minister said that in the wake of ‘love-jihad’, the police forces must be empowered with specific operating procedures to deal with the menace. With regard to combating child marriages, another operation will be launched in the month of September in the state. The Chief Minister said that crime against women and children in the state has come down drastically. He, however, said that high profile cases will be tried in special courts and special public prosecutors will be deployed and charge sheets will be filed in stipulated periods for serving as a deterrent to future crimes. The Chief Minister also said that Assam Police must examine how Indian Army personnel can be freed from the state by completely withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state. He also said that since insurgency has been defeated in the state, efforts must be initiated to proactively monitor and neutralise elements who try to regroup. He also reiterated that Assam Police must maintain strict vigil to prevent surrendered militants from going back to violence. Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also stressed on the need of intensifying drug seizures across the state, especially in the entry and exit points. Speaking on the drink and driving cases, the Chief Minister said that strict enforcement of traffic acts including combination of fines and cancelling driving licenses might prove to be a deterrent. For combating economic crimes and corruption, the Chief Minister asked the SPs to ensure that the smugglers do not get the chance to illegally export subsidized fertilisers outside. He also said that vigilance needs to be stepped up to ensure that Assam does not become a traffic corridor for transporting illegal liquor, Burmese supari and other contraband items. Stating that over 100 corrupt public servants have been arrested on corruption charges, he said that action against corrupt officials will be intensified. To empower the police forces, the Chief Minister said that Assam Police will soon become a zero vacancy force as all vacant positions will be filled up soon. 119 new police stations are being built and by February 2024, all five battalions will have permanent office infrastructure, Dr. Sarma added. Talking on the police reforms, Dr. Sarma said that all GD entries will be digitised so that no manipulations of criminal investigations can be done in later cases. Talking on the large-scale application of digitisation, the Chief Minister said that more than one lakh fifty thousand police verifications have been completed through m-passport police app for addressing passport applicants. On the need of citizen centric policing, the Chief Minister reiterated on the improved coordination between police and home guards and involving competent constables in investigative duties. He also said that draft statutory rules will be published shortly for strengthening partnership between police and nagarik committees to deliver citizen centric policing. On the occasion of observing Deshbhakti Divas today, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma paid rich floral tributes to the portrait of Tarun Ram Phukan. He also remained present in an MoU signing ceremony between Assam Police, Microsoft and Indian Future Foundation for strengthening cyber and digital security.
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