Mysuru: Home Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy held a progress review meeting of Police Officers coming under Southern Range at SP Office Hall in Nazarbad here yesterday. It was his first visit to Mysuru after becoming the Karnataka Home Minister.

Police officers above the rank of Inspectors including DySPs, SPs, DIGs, ACPs and DCPs from Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Kodagu attended the day-long meeting. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Mohan, Southern Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vipul Kumar, Superintendent of Police Ravi D. Channannavar and Mysuru City Police Commissioner Dr. A. Subrahmanyeswara Rao were present.

In a pep talk to the officers, the Home Minister asked them to curb goonda activities with iron hand. Making a special mention of rowdy activities that are thriving in city, he asked the Police to take merciless action on people who blackmail residents in the name of money-lending and real estate business.

Asking Police officers to be more sensitive towards women and children, he said that sexual harassment and rape cases must be attended to immediately and proper procedures must be followed to secure a conviction to perpetrators. Activities like ‘meter baddi’, bootlegging, sale of drugs and gambling in the name of recreation must be prevented at any cost.

“There are complaints from many localites that rowdies are collecting ‘hafta’ (protection money). I don’t know what you will do, but it has to end. Rowdies should leave rowdyism or they should leave the State,” he said.

PG accommodation

He also asked the officers to keep an eye on mushrooming of paying guest accommodations that are breeding ground for illegal activities where the landlords do not usually check the antecedents of the tenants.  

Stressing on the new beat system introduced by the Karnataka Police was unique, Ramalinga Reddy said that the system where Police personnel are in regular contact with the people, is a unique experiment in India. Under this system, even higher officials are mandated to conduct public interaction meetings. The officials have been asked to strengthen patrolling and to provide adequate security to girls’ schools and colleges, Reddy said.

Officials have been asked to file FIRs compulsorily and have been asked to behave well with the people, who come to the Police Stations with grievances. Issues related to traffic problems have been discussed with the officials. They have been directed to streamline auto stands and to provide designated places for push-cart vendors, he said.

Speaking about narcotic drugs, he said, “Officials have been asked to check drug pedalling near educational institutions. Even those who grow narcotic drugs, like ganja, would be booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985,” he added.

He advised the officers to book habitual offenders under the Goonda Act and asked them not to open rowdy sheets against first-time offenders. “Unless there is a heinous offence, do not open rowdy sheets against those who commit crime for first time. Try to reform them and keep a watch on them. If they won’t mend their ways, deal with them strictly.”

Further, he told the officers that they should put an end to beggary, especially by transgenders, at traffic signals. “Drug peddling near colleges has to be checked. Wine shops are open beyond permissible hours and they have to be taught a lesson. Also, there are complaints about road Romeos near women colleges. This menace should stop.”

“I do not budge to any influence. I expect the same from you. Even if someone calls from my office, you need not listen to it. Stick to law. Inspectors will be held responsible for illegal activities in his jurisdiction and strict action will be taken if there are any lapses,” he warned.

Gauri Lankesh case

He said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh had “definite clues” and “has identified those who carried out the murder.” However, he refused to disclose details, saying this would hamper the investigation, which was at a crucial stage.

“The team [SIT] now has definite clues and it knows who the people behind the murder are. However, the process of gathering evidence is on, and this will be crucial for the charge sheet,” the Minister said.