Director General of Police B. Prasada Rao has said that the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response Force will be launched in six months for disaster management and to tackle natural and man made disasters in the State.
It will start with 250 personnel, comprising home guards and technical manpower drawn from fire services, Mr. Rao told the customary year-end press conference organised at the State police headquarters on Tuesday.
On the recent train accident in Anantapur which claimed 26 lives, he said short circuit was only prima facie and not conclusive cause of the accident.
Investigation was still going on. But, the probe so far disclosed that one end of the coach was blocked due to fire and the 68 passengers had to exit only from the other end. The travel ticket examiner and his assistant woke up the passengers who were in deep sleep as soon as they noticed the fire. Mr. Rao said it was decided to take a serious view of smuggling of red sanders who recently killed two forest officers in Chittoor. Unlike in the past when the cases were compounded, the smugglers would be booked under the Indian Penal Code.
He added that 3.56 lakh criminal cases were pending in various courts.
The ‘Safe City Project’ would be launched in the limits of Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police Commissionerates with 500 closed circuit TVs for surveillance against crime. Proposals to set up 131 more women police stations were sent to the government to step up visible policing for the safety of women.
Twelve million calls were handled and half million emergencies attended by Dial 100 service for distress calls in the last six months of its operation.
The number of casualties in road accidents rose to 40,384, an increase of 6.45 per cent over last year.
The naxalite activity was limited to Khammam and Warangal with cadre straying from the adjoining Chhattisgarh.
The coastal security wing of police patrolled the coastline for 10,000 hours by boats and apprehended 91 Sri Lankan fishermen with boats.