Taking serious note of the brutal killing of two cops who were attacked while trying to stop a DJ from playing after stipulated time at Badaun last week, DGP Zaveed Ahmed directed police chiefs to launch a drive and take stern action against those involved in similar attacks on law enforcers in the state. The top cop’s move is primarily aimed at boosting the sagging morale of the police in UP.
“In 2015, the cases on attack on men in Khaki witnessed a sudden spurt. This not only gives a bad image of the cops but also demoralises the law enforcers. We have hence decided to take focussed steps not just to boost the police morale but also to send a strong message that law odf the land should be respected at any cost,” asserted ADG (law and order) Daljeet Singh Choudhary in lucknow on Monday afternoon.
Choudhary said that while action has been initiated against such elements but it is imperative to send across the message that whoever takes the law into their hands will have to pay a heavy price.
The top cop said that district police chiefs have been ordered to follow anti-riots drill and take preventive measures while controlling violence, public agitation, or in the trouble prone hamlets. If the fracas can not be controlled immediately, the officials should act appropriately as a follow-up measure. Between January 1 and December 31, 2015, there were 3071 cases of attack on police parties which resulted in deaths of two cops while 572 policemen were injured.
Choudhary said that during probe, 813 accused besides the named ones, came to light and 1969 accused were arrested while 899 of them surrendered in the court and the police attached the property of 16 absconding accused. He claimed that 627 accused were still wanted while 83 matters were still being probed. He said that 281 persons were found to be framed in these cases.
The ADG said that acting tough against such elements, National Security Act has been against 12 accused, Gangsters Act was invoked against 162, 467 were booked under Gonda Act and 523 under different preventive measures.
The maximum cases of attack on policemen were reported from Allahabad Zone with 617 cases, followed by 522 from Varanasi Zone, 425 from Agra Zone, 416 from Meerut Zone, 338 from lucknow Zone, 274 from Bareilly Zone, 251 from Kanpur Zone and 237 from Gorakhpur Zone.