Chennai, Nov 13:
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday convened a high-level meeting with the Chief Secretary and senior police officials to review the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, amid reports of murders, alleged misconduct by ruling party MLAs and prison break-ins. This was the third such review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister this week.
During the meeting, police officials presented details of several murder cases, including the circumstances surrounding the incidents and the steps taken by the police.
Addressing reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting, Energy and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said that the TVK government had remanded 19,000 history-sheeters since taking office.
He said steps were under way to recruit between 10,000 and 15,000 personnel to strengthen the police force and overcome the existing manpower shortage. The Chief Minister, he added, was personally overseeing administrative and policing-related matters.
Providing details of cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Nirmalkumar said approximately 6,700 cases had been registered. Of these, 2,800 pertained to incidents that occurred before May 10.
Of the 3,229 accused identified in these cases, 3,077 had been arrested, while 152 remained at large, he said. The minister also accused the DMK, the principal Opposition party, of attempting to portray the government’s law and order record in a negative light.