Wednesday, 04 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
After facing widespread criticism from citizens and higher authorities due to a surge in serious crimes including crimes against women, children and robberies across the State, the Uttarakhand police have come into action mode. The additional director general of police has issued instructions to police across the State while other measures have also been taken in Dehradun district. Several heinous crimes have been reported against children and women in recent months. In August alone, several serious crimes were reported including the alleged rape and murder of a nurse in Rudrapur, the sexual assault of several preteen girls by a Maulvi in a Madarsa in Rudrapur and the alleged gangrape of a teenage girl inside a Roadways bus at the Dehradun ISBT. In June, a 13-year-old girl was also brutally gangraped and killed in Haridwar. Other incidents, such as the assault on journalist Yogesh Dimri on Monday, allegedly by the liquor mafia in Rishikesh and a daylight robbery in Haridwar on Sunday, have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the police in maintaining law and order, particularly in major districts of the State. Local businessmen also expressed frustration over the allegedly delayed response by the police in the Haridwar robbery case. Haridwar MP and former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also criticised the police, stating that the criminals could not have escaped with the loot if the police had been vigilant.
Amid all the criticism, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami intervened and conducted a high-level meeting with senior officials of the State, including senior police officials and district magistrates, on Monday to review the law and order situation. He expressed his concern over the serious crimes occurring across the State and directed officials to ensure better coordination, rapid information dissemination, strengthen the intelligence system and conduct night patrolling. He also instructed the police to understand the reasons behind the increasing crime rate and address them accordingly. He also instructed the formation of an investigation team under the supervision of the Haridwar superintendent of police to investigate the robbery case. Following this, the additional director general of police (Law, Crime and Order) AP Anshuman deployed a team of the Special Task Force (STF) alongside the police to solve the Haridwar robbery case. He also instructed the Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Singh Dobhal to ascertain if there was any negligence by personnel during the robbery incident and take appropriate action against those found guilty. The ADG further directed the SSPs to ensure that no alcohol is consumed in public places and to take strict action against liquor associated crimes. Following this, the Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh dissolved the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Rishikesh on Tuesday due to its lack of effective action against bootleggers. Singh stated that now there will be only one SOG operating throughout Dehradun district, which will report directly to him. Discussing the police’s efforts to address the rising crime rate, the ADG stated that all district in-charges and range in-charges have been directed to ensure immediate action in cases, particularly those involving crimes against women and children. He emphasised that negligence in any district will not be tolerated by the Police department.
