GUWAHATI, April 27 - Increasing the conviction rate of the cases investigated by the Assam Police is one of the major challenges before the police force, while checking the growing incidents of crimes against women is another major task for the force, admitted the Director General of Assam Police, Mukesh Sahay. He also admitted that for almost three decades, the main focus of the police force was dealing with militancy and now the time has come for reorientation of the personnel of the force to deal with conventional crimes.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Sahay admitted that the conviction rate of the cases investigated by the Assam Police is lower than the national average and there is need for improving the scenario. He pointed out that conviction rate depends on quality investigation, proper supervision, role of prosecutors, etc., and the Government is planning to appoint a set of prosecutors who would report to the Director of Prosecution. He said that the Government has already authorised specialised investigation agencies of the Assam Police, including the Criminal Investigation Department, Vigilance and Anti Corruption, Bureau of Investigation of Economic Offences, etc., to take the help of special public prosecutors. The district police forces have also been asked to take the help of special public prosecutors in important cases and such help already has been taken in some important cases including the cash-for-job, scam in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) and the Silapathar case.
The DGP said that as the investigating officers of the Assam Police are unable to concentrate fully on investigation of cases as they have to carry out other duties like maintaining law and order, it is decided that special investigating officers will be deployed in some important police stations. Such officers will be responsible only for investigation of cases and they will not be used for other duties as far as possible. The scheme can be implemented after the training of the newly appointed 340 sub-inspectors is completed by the middle of this year, he added.
Admitting that crime against women has become a major challenge for the police, Sahay said that the new ordinance issued by the Government of India would help in expediting trial and bringing the culprits to book. He said that in most of the recent cases of crime against women in the State, the culprits have been apprehended, but ensuring punishment to the culprits would depend upon quality of the investigation, forensic and doctors� reports, etc.
However, at the same time, Sahay admitted that prevention of such heinous crimes is a challenge and only police cannot prevent the same. He said that in most of the recent cases of crimes against women in the State, the culprits were known to the victims and in some cases, teachers and family members were involved, which is a very disturbing fact. He said that the society as a whole would have to play a major role in checking such crimes.
