Pattali Makkal Katchi president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said the “lock-up deaths” reported in the last one year in Tamil Nadu did not augur well for law and order in the State and such incidents would only bring down the confidence of the people in the police force.
Claiming that six “lock up deaths” were reported in the last one year, he said it was only a reflection of some problem in the force. He advocated the need for psychological assessment of police personnel and imparting training to them.
Calling for severe action against those responsible for the alleged custodial deaths, Mr. Anbumani told reporters in Tiruchi that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should give instruction to the entire police force on conducting training for police personnel. Closed circuit television cameras should be installed in every room in police stations and not just at the entrance.
To a query on the performance of the one-year-old DMK government, he said several poll promises made by the ruling party were yet to be implemented and called for their execution. The DMK government had remained focussed on containing the spread of COVID-19 and had done well.
To another query, he said the DMK had promised in the run up to the Assembly elections that prohibition would be implemented in a phased manner. However, not a single liquor outlet was closed in the last one year. The DMK government should at least come out with an action plan now disclosing the number of liquor shops it planned to shut in the next four years.
Asked about the PMK’s stand on the upcoming Presidential election, he said the party’s high-level body would meet and take a decision accordingly. His party would continue to stage protests against sand mining from the Cauvery river.
He was of the view that the Cauvery Water Management Authority did not have the powers to discuss the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water project of the Karnataka government. He welcomed the DMK government’s recent announcement on “banning” online gambling soon.
