CM Siddaramaiah expresses concern over declining conviction rate in SC/ST atrocity cases
Bengaluru, Jan 28 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday expressed concern over the declining conviction rate of SC/ST atrocity cases in the state from ten per cent in 2020 to seven per cent in 2024.
During the State Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting at Vidhana Soudha, the CM stressed ensuring justice for the victims in atrocity cases.
"The conviction rate (in SC/ST atrocity cases) was 10 per cent in 2020, which has declined to seven per cent now. Hence, I have said in the meeting that it should be more than 10 per cent," Siddaramaiah told reporters after the meeting.
He also said that he had directed the police officers to hold regular review meetings with the prosecution lawyers.
The Deputy Commissioners of the districts should hold meetings once in three months without fail, he said.
"I have also asked the DCs to initiate action against the erring officers," Siddaramaiah said.
In the meeting, the ministers, MLAs and MPs raised the issue of backlog.
"Me and the Chief Secretary are holding meeting regarding the backlog and filling the vacant posts. We also discussed in the meeting on reservation in promotion," Siddaramaiah said.
Later, the Chief Minister’s office in a statement said the government prosecutors had been told in the meeting that they must argue effectively in atrocity cases to ensure justice for victims.
Steps should be taken to prevent the accused from easily obtaining bail. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure strict punishment for the guilty.
Charge sheets in atrocity cases must be filed within the stipulated time frame of 60 days, the note said.
There were discussions on the Devadasi system in the state.
"If the Devadasi system exists in any district, the responsibility lies with the District Commissioner and Superintendent of Police. District administrations must take steps to rehabilitate Devadasis and prevent further cases," the statement said.
Describing the practice (Devadasi system) an evil done to women by subjecting them to sexual exploitation and prostitution, the Supreme Court has held it as a serious issue of violation of Right to Life, Dignity and Equality of women, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The CMO release said the Forest Rights Committees must hold regular meetings and expedite the issuance of title deeds to eligible beneficiaries (forest dwellers). Of the 3,430 pending cases, the process must be completed within a month, it added.
"Once title deeds are issued, the names of beneficiaries must be updated in the land records without delay. Revenue department officials must prioritise this work, and forest dwellers should not be evicted under any circumstances," the CMO said.
The CM told the officers to initiate steps to remove court injunctions in cases filed under the SC/ST Act.
"Charge sheets must be filed within 60 days. Currently, 665 cases are pending investigation, and these must be resolved quickly. Low conviction rates in courts will not be tolerated," the statement said.
Quoting CM, the statement said, "The punishment rate in caste atrocities cases has not been more than three per cent for many decades. For this reason, I have given police station power to Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) cells. How come the punishment rate has not increased yet?"
Siddaramaiah also instructed the officials to discuss with the prosecution if the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases are pending in the courts for a long time and take steps for speedy disposal and speedy justice, the statement said.
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Crowd management efforts ramped up at Maha Kumbh after stampede
Mahakumbh Nagar (PTI): A day after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh left 30 dead, the Uttar Pradesh government ramped up efforts to ensure crowd management and safety of devotees who continued to flock here in large numbers for the religious gathering.
The devotees braved the pre-dawn chill and dense fog to take a dip in the Sangam and at other ghats here on Thursday.
More than 55.11 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip till 8:00 am, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Anshuman Mishra told PTI that the area would remain a no-vehicle zone until the crowd disperses completely.
"Vehicle passes will not be valid until all devotees have safely left for their destinations. No outside vehicles would be allowed to enter the city until the crowd exits the Mela area," he said.
However, senior officials may grant permission for vehicle entry based on the situation, he said.
Mishra clarified that essential services such as police administration vehicles, ambulances and suction machines would be allowed entry as they are crucial for the smooth management of the Maha Kumbh.
Pilgrims, including women and children, were seen walking to and fro the various ghats amid reduced visibility. Many had thin blankets covering their bodies while some stopped by bonfires along the routes to keep themselves warm.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of Police Prashant Kumar are scheduled to reach here later in the day for a detailed probe into the stampede.
The top officers would also conduct a thorough review of the arrangements in the Mela area, Chief Minister Adityanath said on Wednesday night.
"Every aspect related to security and public convenience must be carefully examined to ensure seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami (Feb 3 - Amrit Snan)," he said.
In a bid to further strengthen the arrangements, the Uttar Pradesh government will also be deploying two former senior officers on Mela duty -- Ashish Goyal, who served as divisional commissioner of Prayagraj for the 2019 Kumbh, and Bhanu Goswami, former vice chairman of the Agra Development Authority.
Additionally, five special secretary-level officers are being assigned to oversee operations. All of them will remain in Prayagraj till February 12 to assist in streamlining the arrangements, Adityanath said.
Besides 30 deaths, 60 people were injured in the pre-dawn stampede on Wednesday in the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.
Maha Kumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna said the incident took place due to crowd pressure. The crowd broke barricades and jumped to the other side, crushing those waiting there, he said.
On Wednesday, more than 7.64 crore devotees had a 'snan' at the Maha Kumbh, the highest in a single day so far. The footfall since the beginning of the mega event had crossed 27.58 crore by the end of Wednesday, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
The Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26.
