The Hindu : Front Page : State meeting place for extremists: Kodiyeri

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007
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State meeting place for extremists: Kodiyeri

Staff Reporter

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan says law-breakers will be booked under the ‘goonda’ Act.

Thiruvananthapuram: Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Tuesday said activists of Left extremist outfits operating in other States had been using Kerala as a meeting place. The police are now very watchful of their activities.

Mr. Kodiyeri said certain regional outfits were making “organised efforts” to destroy the communal peace in Kerala. Stringent police action was under way against such divisive organisations. The democratic forces in Kerala had succeeded in curbing the social influence of such organisations. There had been no communal clashes in the State in recent times, he said.

Henceforth, the local police (and not the Special Branch wing alone) would be responsible for the verification of the background of those applying for passport. The verification process should be completed in three days. The local police would be responsible for the registration and investigation of traffic accident cases, the Minister said.

Traffic policing

The exclusive traffic police stations in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode would focus more on aspects of enforcement.

Enforcement of traffic rules had suffered because of the huge backlog of cases at the traffic stations. Most traffic policemen were engaged in case work, leaving only a few of them to police the roads. Traffic enforcement would become rigorous in the coming days, Mr. Kodiyeri said.

Law-breakers, such as those who degrade the environment by cutting forest trees and illegally mining rivers for sand, would be booked under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

The government served arrest warrants against 186 persons declared as “known rowdies” under the provisions of the Act. Seventy-two of them were arrested. The government would confiscate the property of those evading arrest.

The Minister said the police would spare no effort in securing the custody of the absconding persons.

Mr. Kodiyeri said high ranking police officials should take more interest in crime investigation.

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