Bengaluru, Jan 17 (IANS) Referring to the trend of police personnel being involved in crimes, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said it was an “unpardonable offence” when the fence itself rises to graze the field.

He was speaking to the media after inaugurating the annual conference of police officers here.

“The police department is functioning well in some stations, while in others it is not working properly. In about 88 cases, police personnel themselves are involved. This is like the fence itself grazing the field, which is an unpardonable offence. Such acts not only bring a bad name to the police department but also to the state government,” he said.

The Chief Minister stated that the number of crimes in the state has been decreasing since 2003. The Kavitala police station in Raichur district has secured third place among the best police stations in the country, he added.

He said no crime can take place without the knowledge of Police Sub-Inspectors, Assistant Superintendents of Police, Deputy Superintendents of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police.

Clear instructions have been given that police must work with vigilance. Special protection should be provided to the vulnerable, and police should not act as tools in the hands of the powerful, he said.

Though cases of theft, extortion, robbery and murder are decreasing, cybercrime and drug-related offences are not coming down. Youth are being ruined due to this menace, and the government has declared its resolve to make Karnataka a drug-free state.

“If police work vigilantly and efficiently, the state can be made drug-free and the youth can be protected,” he said.

To make the state drug-free, interrogating drug peddlers or addicts can help expose the drug network. If suppliers are questioned, it will be possible to identify producers and distributors, CM Siddaramaiah stated.

Instructions have been issued to all police stations to begin this work immediately. If foreigners are released on bail and allowed to stay back, there is a high possibility of them returning to the same crimes.

Therefore, foreigners involved in drug cases must be sent back to their countries without any leniency, he said.

Senior officers have been instructed to closely monitor Police Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents of Police at police stations, and ensure that they are not involved in any criminal activities.

“If Maharashtra police can come to Bengaluru and detect drugs, why can’t the state police do it?” the Chief Minister questioned.

As the state police have failed to detect drugs, instructions have been given to initiate action against the concerned police personnel, he said.

To control cybercrime and drug-related offences, laws need to be made more stringent. New laws or amendments may have to be introduced in the coming days, he said.

Responding to a question on the IPL, the Chief Minister said a committee headed by Justice D. Michael Cunha has been formed, and a sub-committee under the chairmanship of the Home Minister has been constituted to implement its recommendations.

Short-term recommendations must be implemented immediately, while the remaining ones should be implemented in the long term. The recommendations must be enforced, he said.

Replying to questions on the Ballari incident of violence, the Chief Minister said the case has been handed over to the special wing CID. As Ballari is a sensitive region and the district Superintendent of Police was not present at the spot, he has been suspended.

Action will be taken against the guilty after the investigation report is received, he said.

Speaking about the case related to Congress leader Rajeev Gowda allegedly abusing the woman Municipal Commissioner of Sidlaghatta, the Chief Minister said Gowda is absconding and will be arrested. Instructions have been given to take action against him as per the law.

“No one is above the law, irrespective of party affiliation,” he said.

–IANS

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