As a result of alertness and vigilance of the Special Task Force (STF), under the government’s policy of zero tolerance towards criminals, more than 438 crimes were prevented in the state in the last six years. Since March 2017, the STF has successfully prevented incidents of crimes like kidnapping, robbery, murder of public representatives, eminent persons and common citizens.
Giving this information here on Wednesday, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said that action in 2,084 cases had also been taken by the STF during this period. Apart from this, 3,197 criminals involved in organised crimes had been arrested, he added.
Prasad said that 700 notorious and wanted criminals had been arrested during the said period while 38 wanted criminals carrying rewards had been killed in encounters. Rewards of Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh were declared on the arrest of these criminals who were gunned down by the STF in encounters.
Additional Director General of Police (STF) Amitabh Yash said that in the above mentioned period, 726 masterminds/solvers and students from a total of 149 gangs were arrested while ensuring cheating-free examinations. About 319 cyber criminals have also been arrested, he added.
Yash further said that during the said period, 167 criminals were arrested and 1,785 illegal weapons and 7,716 cartridges were recovered from their possession in drives against criminals smuggling illegal weapons. The STF also arrested 455 liquor smugglers from different states (Punjab, Haryana and others) and recovered 72,320 liquor cartons, 3,30,416 litres of rectified spirit and 7,560 litres of prepared country liquor from their possession.
The STF arrested 790 accused involved in illegal drug business and seized 82,064.69 kg of ganja, 1,855.132 kg charas, 16,880.1 kg doda/poppy, 7.06 kg morphine, 719.238 kg smack, 20.531 kg prohibited heroin and 116.014 kg opium from their possession.
As many as 128 criminals belonging to various gangs have been arrested for being involved in smuggling of animals while the STF has seized caliper, two pangolin, one pangolin scalp, one tiger and one leopard skins, 18 kg tiger bone, one extra elephant tusk, 6,772 turtles from their possession. Moreover, 2,943 banned birds, one skeleton of hyena, 20 odd gray langurs, 4.12 kg ambergris, four teeth of wild boar, 563.1 kg red sandal wood and vehicles used for smuggling these, cash etc. have also been recovered from them.