Andhra: Crimes against women increase by 35.91%; CM Naidu calls for strict action

Amaravati: Crimes against women have increased by 35.91 percent from 2019 to 2023 compared to 2014-19 in Andhra Pradesh.

During a home department review meeting, police informed Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu that compared to 2014-19, the crime rate has gone up by 46 percent during 2019-23 while the atrocities against women too have increased by 35.91 percent during this period. The cybercrime rate has increased by 134.43 percent during 2019-23.

Increase in drug abuse rate

What is more regrettable is that the drug abuse rate has increased by 107.89 percent while crime against children too has gone up by 151.88 percent, they said. Through a PowerPoint presentation, the officials explained to the Chief Minister how the police wing had been neutralized by the ineffective style of functioning of the previous government.

The officials also brought to the notice of the Chief Minister the problems that the police department has faced as the dues were not cleared for years together.

Drones for police:

Of the 143 drones the police wing has, only 88 are functioning and many CC cameras are not working, the officers said. Even the automated fingerprint identification system too is not working and the Rs 30 funds needed to repair these units have not been released by the previous government, they said.

The officers said that the annual maintenance charges have also not been paid due to which several services are not available now as a result they are facing serious difficulties in crime investigation. The police department is also facing challenges with the outdated vehicles and at least Rs 281 cr is needed for the purchase of new vehicles to replace the old ones.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said police should function in such a way that criminals are punished.

Chairing a review meeting on the Home Department, in which the Home Minister, Vangalapudi Anitha, and the Director General of Police (DGP), Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, were present, the Chief Minister said the police setup should send a strong signal to the criminals to get scared of committing any kind of crime.

"The State should have a perfect law and order situation and peace should prevail. The police officials should be firm in taking action against those who resort to violence in the guise of politics," Chandrababu told the meeting.

Naidu promised to take all possible steps to bring the police wing back on track. He also announced that Rs 10 cr is being released immediately which has been pending for long for the maintenance of the equipment in various wings of the department along with the Rs 11 cr for erecting CC cameras.

The Chief Minister also gave his consent for releasing Rs 61 cr for modernizing various equipment in the police department. Mr Chandrababu Naidu is very particular about the police acting very sternly in cases of crimes against women. "The criminals who resort to any kind of atrocities against women should feel that if they touch a woman that will be the last day in their life," he said.

The officers also informed that the previous government failed to release the State's share of the 25 percent funds for Disaster Management but also diverted the Central funds.