Law enforcers have started devoting more attention to cases relating to crimes against women, particularly rape cases reported across the Tiruchi range. Alongside accelerating probe, investigators have been asked to make sincere efforts in obtaining conviction in such cases.
A set of instructions has been given to field-level police officers of the Tiruchi range following a meeting held here recently in which the progress made in the rape cases reported over the years in the Tiruchi range were exclusively reviewed. The Tiruchi range accounts for five districts – Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Karur.
Police sources say about 70 rape cases reported in the five districts over the past four years were in the UI (under investigation) stage, while the cases pending trial in different courts exceeded that number.
The number of rape cases in the under investigation stage is more in Tiruchi district with 26, followed by Pudukottai 18, Karur 11, and Ariyalur and Perambalur both accounting for 16.
Some cases which had been charged were yet to be taken on file and in some others the cases were in the under investigation stage pending medical and chemical examiner’s reports.
In an effort to expedite probe, the Superintendents of Police have been asked to monitor the progress made by the investigators in such cases.
Investigators have been instructed to take necessary steps to obtain pending medical reports speedily to accelerate probe and for early filing of charge-sheet. Directions have been given to the Deputy Superintendents of Police to attend court whenever the rape case came up for trial.
The sources said the overall percentage of conviction in rape cases was 33 in Tiruchi, 40 in Perambalur, and 25 in Ariyalur in the year 2010.
