ProMASS News
Agartala, Sep 02: Law and order has improved considerably in the State over the years and the number of criminal activities has reduced in comparison with 2017. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said this in the Assembly while replying on Opposition’s queries on prevailing law and order condition.
“Compared to 2017, crime against women reduced by 6 percent in 2018. The number of dowry-related atrocities lowered by 12 percent and dowry related death reduced by 45 percent. Incidences of rape reduced 5 percent while molestation incidents lowered by 18 per cent”, the Chief Minister said.
On conviction, Biplab Kumar Deb placed detailed information and said, total 82 cases were registered under POCSO Act in 2019 and 84 persons were arrested.
He said, “Conviction rate in the State has improved – and we have to take it above the national rate. However, crime rate needs to be pulled down to zero and the State government is committed to stop atrocities on women”, he said.
Comparing law and order situation in 2019 with that of 2017, Deb said, total 31 persons were murdered during January to August 29 in 2019 while during the same period in 2017, 35 persons were murdered. Number of death due to dowry related issue stands at 21 during the period in 2019 but number of such death was 27 in 2017. He also presented compared data relating to gang rape and said, during the period in 2019, incidences of gang rape came down from nine in 2017 to five in 2019.
He also said, among the crimes mentioned in the House, Soma Debnath’s incident was highly condemnable and unfortunate – however Police arrested the accused, Samir Das. Moreover, accused persons involved in other crimes in Ranirbazar, Khowai, Amtali, Kailashahar etc were also arrested. “Our society needs to be rectified to stop incidences of such crimes. We have to work together to combat the criminal activities”, he exhorted.
In his discussion, the Chief Minister mentioned about several crime incidences of the past and said, no one was arrested in SDM Sukhram Debbarma murder in Agartala – even Police failed to place charge sheet. MLA Madhusudhan Saha was murdered in 2001 and accused was arrested in 2003. Trial of former Minister Bimal Sinha’s murder case was undergoing in Kailashahar Court – why the case had to be transferred to Agartala, Deb asked. The Chief Minister referred to his Janatar Darbar held in Sabroom where people seek justice in as many as eight murder cases.
“We have already formed a committee and all the previous murder cases will be re-opened,” he said and added, people can lodge complaints with Police.