Three companies of armed battalions will be deployed in the northern region of the state to combat Maoist threat, said Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. He was speaking after attending the two-day meeting of District Collectors and District Police Chiefs here on Tuesday.
The minister said Maoist presence was reported in the limits of 31 police stations in Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur. The ‘ponpulari’ project implemented in Kasargod will be expanded to other districts. The police had put up a commendable performance in law and order maintenance last year. No major casualties were reported in communal or political violence, the minister said.
“The student police cadet project will be expanded. Inspections will be intensified to reduce road accidents. The Chief Secretary has been assigned the task of convening a meeting of Home Secretary and Transport Commissioner to submit recommendations in this regard. More traffic surveillance cameras will installed,” he said.
The minister said the meeting decided to strengthen steps to curb illegal sand mining. The Collectors and SPs have been directed to dispose around 7,000 vehicles seized by the police. The Goonda Act will be slapped against repeated blade mafia offenders.
A total of 74 police stations functioning in rented buildings will be shifted to own buildings in a phased manner.Action will be taken against illegal quarries. The District Collectors have also been directed to identify land for the ten coastal police stations sanctioned by the Union Government.