BENGALURU: Angry citizens on Friday sought the hanging of rapists in public or gunning them down instead of sending them to prison.
They were responding to a request by Home Minister K J George to offer suggestions on preventing the increasing number of crimes against women and children.
The interaction between the minister and the residents of west division police station limits took place at the Bunts Sangha Auditorium.
The minister informed the infuriated crowd about the process of law, and said people should have faith in the judiciary. “Criminals will not escape, and the judicial process will punish them without mercy,” he told the gathering.
But the residents kept recalling several incidents of sexual abuse of children in schools, and accused the police of dealing with criminals with a soft hand. “The management of the schools is also responsible and the government is shying away from taking them to task for not providing enough security,” some people said. The meeting was attended by Police Commissioner M N Reddi and other senior police officers, who received suggestions on maintaining law and order in their areas properly. Complaints about unscientific traffic signals, encroachment of footpaths, extortion and several other problems were highlighted.
Such meetings will henceforth be a regular affair, the minister said. “We will form a committee headed by an additional chief secretary level officer to implement guidelines issued by the police based on a High Court directive. In that committee, officials from the Education Department, Women and Child Welfare Department, police officials and Social Welfare Department officials will be present,” he said.
George said parents admitting their children to schools should pay attention to the security facilities provided at schools before paying the fees.
“The police cannot do everything. Parents must also play a part to reduce such instances. We have begun the process to set up 10 fast track courts to try crimes against women and children,” he said.