HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 28: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the 4th SP conference in Bongaigaon, where he outlined a series of steps for police reforms in the state. During the conference, he emphasised the need for the police to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to effectively investigate cases related to ‘love jihad’.
The government is also considering providing legislative backing to ensure the prosecution of those involved in polygamy and child marriages.
“An act will be implemented soon in the state through which the marriageable age will be legally fixed for all communities, multiple marriages will be stopped and more legislative steps will be taken so that when arrests are made for violating the norms, the accused do not get bail,” Sarma said.
Chief minister Sarma highlighted the decline in crime against women and children in the state, attributing it to the efforts of the police. He mentioned that high-profile cases will be tried in special courts, with designated public prosecutors ensuring that charge sheets are filed promptly to deter future crimes.
“Whenever a child marriage comes to our notice we will have to prosecute the accused under POCSO as it is a secular Act and does not deal with any religion,” he said. The POCSO Act applies equally to all citizens of all religions who commit sexual offences against children.
Sarma said crime against women in Assam has drastically come down to 14,030 cases in 2022 as against 29,046 cases in 2021, which is much below the annual average of 27,240 cases between 2017-21. Crimes against children in the state have also come down to 4,084 as against 5,282 in previous years.
Regarding the security situation in the state, the chief minister urged the Assam Police to examine how Indian Army personnel can be gradually withdrawn from the state by fully withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). While acknowledging the defeat of insurgency, he stressed the importance of proactive monitoring and neutralisation of any attempts at regrouping by insurgents. The police were also instructed to maintain strict vigilance to prevent surrendered militants from returning to violence.
CM Sarma also emphasised the need to intensify drug seizures, particularly at entry and exit points of the state. He further called for strict enforcement of traffic acts, including the imposition of fines and license cancellations for cases of drink and driving.
For combating economic crimes and corruption, the chief minister instructed the SPs to prevent smugglers from illegally exporting subsidised fertilisers and to curb the trafficking of illegal liquor, Burmese supari, and other contraband items.
To strengthen the police force, chief minister Sarma assured that all vacant positions will be filled soon, making Assam Police a zero vacancy force. He also mentioned the construction of 119 new police stations and the provision of permanent office infrastructure for all five battalions by February 2024.
Discussing police reforms, the chief minister highlighted the digitisation of all GD entries to prevent any manipulation of criminal investigations in the future. He also appreciated the application of digitisation in completing over one lakh fifty thousand police verifications through the m-passport police app for passport applicants.
In pursuit of citizen-centric policing, chief minister Sarma emphasised improved coordination between police and home guards and the involvement of competent constables in investigative duties. Draft statutory rules will be published shortly to strengthen the partnership between police and nagarik committees for delivering citizen-centric policing.
On the occasion of Desh Bhakti Divas, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid tribute to the portrait of Tarun Ram Phukan. Additionally, an MoU was signed between Assam Police, Microsoft, and Indian Future Foundation to strengthen cyber and digital security.
