%20(1).jpg?$p=b8870e6&f=16x10&w=852&q=0.8)
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed that 828 criminal cases were registered against police officials in the state since 2016. Addressing the assembly on Monday, the CM declared that eight officials in various ranks involved in criminal cases were terminated from service.
The CM briefed the matter while responding to the adjournment motion moved by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
In the adjournment motion, Thiruvanchoor alleged that police officials have been criminalised in the state.
“Those who are aware of the present condition of the state can’t allege politicisation and criminalisation of police force. This is a baseless allegation. The whole country has accepted that Kerala has the best law and order system. Police have taken stern action in controversial cases in the state,” said the CM.
“Police officials were named accused in 828 criminal cases registered in the state since 2016. All allegations which seemed authentic were investigated. The government has dismissed eight police officials who were involved in serious crimes in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In 2022, two police officials who were convicted in criminal cases and two other officials who were found guilty in corruption cases were also sacked,” CM informed the assembly.
Congress MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, one of the legislators who moved the adjournment motion, on the other hand disagreed with claims of the Chief Minister and alleged that since its inception, the pink police has not registered a single POCSO case in 8-9 districts of the state despite reports of crimes against children from there.
"Kerala has turned into a state where women and children are not safe," he alleged in the House.
He said that of the 1.13 lakh cases lodged for crimes against women and children, only in 1.79 per cent of the cases have the accused been brought before the law.
Refuting the allegations, Vijayan said the Kerala police has competently probed several major crimes, like the 2018 Latvian tourist rape and murder, the recent human sacrifice incident and the alleged murder of her lover by a 22-year-old woman by lacing his juice with poison.
He also said the government has decided to set up 58 additional courts in the state to deal with, in a time-bound manner, the cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The Chief Minister also said till 2015, 976 police officers were involved in criminal cases and during the subsequent Left Front rule from 2016, the numbers have gone down to 828.
"Child-friendly police stations have been started. Strong social awareness and counseling is being done along with police action in dowry related cases," he said.
He also said that according to a survey conducted by the Indian Police Foundation on corruption in the police force, the Kerala Police has been recognised for its honesty and efficiency.
(With inputs from PTI)
RELATED STORIES
.jpg?$p=1990e2a&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=1990e2a&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=22a6963&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=14a6362&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
