THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid a noticeable rise in criminal activities in the district, the Trivandrum city police are implementing stringent measures by invoking the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) against offenders.
As per police data, 27 persons have been detained under KAAPA during the first half of this year. In an effort to curb criminal behaviour, six restraining orders were also issued against antisocial elements.
A total of 37 proposals for detention orders under KAAPA were submitted to the district collector and 27 were approved after review.
The district collector has the power to issue detention orders under KAAPA, while deportation orders are issued by police officers of superintendent rank or higher.
The act is typically invoked against offenders involved in at least three active serious cases. “There will be more action in the coming months as offenders were cracked down with special operations. KAAPA cases weren’t specifically looked at since one and half months have passed since the operations.T he cases will be looked into more seriously. There is a specific procedure for this and it needs to be followed,” said City Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar.
To identify habitual offenders, authorities review criminal records from the past seven years. Active cases against individuals are scrutinised and if two to three serious crimes are registered against a person, they are closely monitored for antisocial activities. Proposals for detention are submitted following a thorough review. Those deemed less dangerous may be deported.
“A regular monitoring of their activities through day and night adds into account of proposals,” said a senior police official.
“Station House Officers (SHOs) of all police stations are put on high alert to ensure a swift response to any criminal activity. This will also strengthen the overall security of the district,” added Commissioner.