Amid a spate of rape incidents involving minors in the state recently, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday held a meeting with top police and government officials and issued a slew of directions, including increasing foot patrolling in rural areas and making anti-Romeo squads more active.
They have also been asked to prepare police station-wise list of people booked in such crime incidents in the past and keep a watch on them. Cases of alleged rape of minors in Aligarh, Kushinagar, Hamirpur, Kanpur and Meerut have come to light in recent days.
Adityanath directed the officers to identify 10 cases of crime against minor girls from each range and ensure action against the accused by putting them in fast track court.
Directions were also issued to make anti-Romeo squads and Dial 100 (police emergency number) more effective in the state. The squad was introduced in 2017 when the Adityanath government came to power, to check incidents of eve-teasing. The CM has directed the officials to deploy anti-Romeo squads in crowded and sensitive areas of the state and ensure security to women and girls.
Adityanath also asked the police and women welfare department to hold awareness camp in all schools which are going to open in July. Besides, the CM asked the officials to create awareness about ‘181’ women helpline. Directions are also issued to review 1090 Women Power Line every month and make it more effective.
After the meeting, UP DGP Om Prakash Singh told the reporters that a detailed discussion took place on the recent incidents. “In all these cases, the police acted promptly and arrested the accused. Statements of the victims are being recorded and local police are taking all measures for prosecution of the accused. Be it Kushinagar, Hamirpur or Aligarh – the progress made in all these cases were reviewed,” he said. “It was also decided in the meeting that documentation of all the accused involved in such cases should be done,” he added.
“There are two factors in these recent incidents. Firstly, they took place in rural areas. Secondly, the crime was committed by those who were known to the victims,” Singh said, adding the chief minister has taken a serious note of such incidents.
