Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the 4th SP conference at Bongaigaon on Friday, commented that the State police should develop special procedures to help probing the practice of love-jihad as the government has been contemplating to provide legislative backing to ensure prosecution of accused held for polygamy and child marriages.
“In the wake of love-jihad, the police forces must be empowered with specific operating procedures to deal with the serious menace. With regard to combating child marriages, another operation will be launched in September across the State,” said Sarma.
He revealed that crimes against women & children in Assam have come down drastically. The high profile cases will be tried in special courts and special public prosecutors will be deployed where charge sheets will be filed in the stipulated period. Sarma also asked the State police to examine how the army personnel can be freed from the State by completely withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Since the insurgency has been defeated, efforts must be initiated to proactively monitor and neutralise elements who try to regroup, stated Sarma, adding that the police forces must maintain strict vigil to prevent surrendered militants from going back to violence. He also insisted on intensifying drug seizures across Assam, especially at the entry and exit points.
Speaking on the drinking & driving cases, Sarma said that strict enforcement of traffic acts including combination of fines & cancelling driving licenses might prove to be an effective deterrent. For combating economic crimes and corruption, he asked the SPs to ensure that the smugglers do not get the opportunity to illegally export subsidized fertilisers.
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, asserted Sarma, adding that over 100 corrupt public servants have been arrested on relevant charges in the last two years and the action will be intensified.
On the need of citizen centric policing, Sarma emphasized on the improved coordination among police personnel, home guards and probable competent constables in various investigative duties. He also informed that the draft statutory rules will be published soon for strengthening partnership between the police and nagarik committees. On the occasion of Deshbhakti Divas, Sarma paid floral tributes to the portrait of Tarun Ram Phukan.
