Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has asked the Mysuru police to work towards increasing the conviction rate in criminal cases in the city.
Speaking to reporters after a review meeting with police officials, Mr. Jnanendra said the conviction rate of crimes in Mysuru had dipped to 37.77% during 2020-21 from 44.27% in 2019-20. The rate in 2018-19 was 25.27% and 2017-18 was 38.54%. Apart from filing a chargesheet, the police should encourage witnesses to provide evidence in court.He argued that crime rate will come down only if punishment goes up and acts as a deterrent.
He said he had also discussed the issue of night patrolling with the police. Already, about 250 police personnel are deployed for night patrolling. Mr. Jnanendra suggested senior officials also go on night beats to ensure proper and effective patrolling.
Mysuru was a tourist destination and all steps should be taken to ensure peace, he said while asking the police to step up efforts in view of Dasara festivities that were round the corner.
Expressing concern over the rampant abuse of drugs in Mysuru, Mr. Jnanendra said the police had booked a total of 61 cases in the last three years, arresting 104 people. Police officials have been directed to show no leniency to persons involved in narcotics, however influential they may be. A lot of students and youth in the city are becoming addicted to the malaise of narcotic drugs, he said. He said directions had also been issued to the police to monitor hookah bars that had mushroomed in different parts of the city.
The police will also crack down on gambling dens in the city. “We are not against any skilled games. But, we will not allow the games to be played with bets,” he said while pointing out that the menace had extended to online games. “A lot of youth are falling prey to the menace and many families are coming on the streets because of the addition to gambling,” he said.
After the recently passed Bill on gambling is enacted, Mr. Jnanendra said gambling will no longer be a non-cognisable offence.
With regard to vacancies of police department in Mysuru , the Home Minister said the government will soon fill up all the 134 vacancies for the post of constables in Mysuru city.
A total of 17 musicians will be recruited to the Mysuru Police Band this year. Interviews for the recruitment were already under way, he said.
The number of police personnel for each lakh of population in Mysuru is higher than the national average, he said. While there were 180 police personnel for each lakh population in the country, Mysuru had 303 police personnel for each lakh person, he said.
