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Improve image, CM tells police

Correspondent

Marginal increase in crime rate, says DGP

Two-day senior police officers’ meet concludes
Concern over lack of police infrastructure

CUTTACK: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday called upon the senior police officers of the State to work towards improving the image of the police so that police-public interface becomes more cordial and responsive. Patnaik expected that there is higher degree of professionalism, integrity and transparency in the functioning of the force.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the valedictory session of the two-day senior police officers’ conference here in which more than 80 IPS officers of the State participated. Expressing satisfaction over the overall law & order and crime situation of the State in 2007, the CM said a lot needs to be done to improve the same. “There is always scope for improvement in areas of crime prevention, investigation and detection”, he said.

“Especially crimes against women and children and against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes need to be investigated with the utmost care and promptitude, as well as with empathy and respect for the dignity of the victim”, Patnaik said. He said his Government is attaching utmost importance for and observance of Human Rights in all aspects of police functioning.

In his keynote address, the State DGP Gopal Chandra Nanda said the two-day conference was an important forum for the senior officers for self-introspection through in-depth deliberations on important subjects and intensive feedback from field-level officers.

Informing about the crime situation in the State, the DGP said crime has marginally increased by 2.2 per cent in 2007 in comparison to the previous year. At least 67034 cases were registered in the State in 2007 as against 6552 cases in 2006.

On Naxal violence, the DGP said only 52 incidents had taken place in the State, which is much less in comparison to other naxal, affected states during 2007.

He said out of these cases 15 deaths have been recorded including 13 civilians and two security personnel.

During the period 121 Maoist activists including a few hard-core cadres have been arrested, the DGP informed. Police encountered the naxals on 19 occasions resulting death of seven Left-wing activists.

The DGP however, expressed dissatisfaction over the police infrastructure and lack of police personnel and police stations in the State. “As per the national Police Commission on the basis of area, there is requirement of 1038 police stations in the State. But the State is currently having only 505 PSs, the DGP informed.

“We have submitted a proposal to create at least 100 new police stations in the State immediately and the remaining requirements would be met in phased manners”, he said.

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