With cases of atrocities on women on the rise, the Assembly Standing Committee on Home Department has recommended to the State Government to open a women cell in each district for expeditious disposal of cases.
“Inordinate delay in disposal of criminal cases, particularly those of atrocity on women, is attributable to infrastructural inadequacies in the police machinery,” the standing committee headed by Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik said in the report placed in the Assembly on Thursday.
The committee, which scrutinised the budget of the Home Department, has further recommended for opening Mahila and Sishu Desks in each police station to effectively deal with cases of women atrocities and child abuse. Mahila Thanas should be strengthened to ensure operational efficiency. Mahila and Sishu Desks have been set up in 537 police stations.In 2012, the State reported 1458 rape cases against 1,112 cases in 2011 and 1025 cases in 2010.
With cyber crime increasing at an alarming rate, the committee recommended for opening cyber cells at the district level with requisite manpower. The police personnel to be posted in such cells should be given specialised training and they should be equipped with latest technology for investigation of cyber crimes.
The proposed cyber cells should be made operational in 36 police districts with existing manpower till sanction of funds. It has been estimated to cost Rs 1.27 crore to make cells operational.
Stating that 12 integrated anti-human trafficking units (IAHTUs) functioning in the State do not have dedicated manpower, the committee suggested that an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) should head each unit. The DSP should be assisted by one inspector of police, two sub-inspectors and six constables. One-third of them should be women. The committee recommended a budgetary support of Rs 3.42 crore for effective functioning of IAHTUs.
“Police stations located in inter-State border are not adequately equipped to deal with inter-State crime and check the movement of criminals and Naxals,” the Assembly committee said with a recommendation for requisite budgetary support for upgradation and strengthening of the 88 border police stations.
The committee strongly recommended augmentation of the sanctioned strength of 94 police stations in Naxal affected areas and 34 urban police stations in view of the multitasking and increasing challenges to policing.
In view of the increasing threat to the jails in the Naxal affected areas, the committee requested the Government for raising a special security battalion comprising 24 platoons of special armed police force with supervisory staff for security coverage of 16 jails in Naxal affected areas and eight other hyper-sensitive jails.