BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asked Odisha Police to take prompt, effective and exemplary action against anti-socials and criminals. Speaking during the inauguration of the national workshop on “Safety of Women and Children” at Police Bhawan here, the Chief Minister said police have a responsibility to create a secure environment for the citizens.
The 15-day social awareness campaign against child sexual abuse - ‘Paree Payeen Katha Tiye’ - was a phenomenal success last year, said Naveen and hoped that such noble initiatives by Odisha Police will continue in next phase of the campaign to help address various social evils and heinous crimes against women and girls.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the association between National Police Foundation and Institute, Unicef and Odisha Police in organising the workshop. Later, he released a narrative report on ‘Paree Payeen Katha Tiye’ prepared by Unicef besides a documentary film and a coffee table book on the subject.
Speaking on the occasion, DGP Dr RP Sharma said the day-long workshop will focus on women trafficking, child sexual abuse, cyber crimes against women and children and measures for improving the conviction rate of sexual offence cases.
“Despite having stringent laws, sexual offences against minor children have witnessed a rising trend across the country, including Odisha. Such cases in the State are being categorised as Red Flag and the conviction rate is four times more than other cases,” he said. The State Police had also conducted an analysis on sexual assault against minor children, which revealed that in about 94 per cent cases, the offenders are either relative of the victims or members of the same community.
The DGP also said for preventing such crimes, Odisha Police and other Government departments have planned to launch Paree Campaign Phase II dubbed as ‘Mission Paree 2024’, a five-year programme focused on preventing child sexual abuse, curbing trafficking of women and children, preventing child marriages and implementing steps to eradicate the child labour networks. Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Asit Kumar Tripathy, retired IPS officer Prakash Singh and Unicef officials were present.
Odisha yet to implement SC norms on police reforms: Former up DGP
Bhubaneswar: Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prakash Singh on Saturday said Odisha is one of the States which has not implemented the guidelines of Supreme Court on police reforms. “Supreme Court received affidavits from all the States, including Odisha. The affidavit filed by Odisha Government on police reforms made the best read. However, something went wrong down the line and today Odisha is one of the non-compliant States,” Singh said during the National Workshop on Safety of Women and Children at Police Bhawan here.
The apex court, deciding the PIL filed by two former DGPs Prakash Singh and NK Singh in 2006, had given a slew of directions to the States and Union Territories, including setting up of a State Security Commission to ensure that the Government does not exercise unwarranted influence on the police. The former Uttar Pradesh DGP stressed on police reforms, including implementation of an integrated approach to handle various types of crimes.
Singh also cited the report of Justice Verma Committee, set up after the horrific gangrape incident in Delhi, in which 28 pages were dedicated to police reforms. During the event, Home Department officials said Odisha Police Bill, which was passed in the Assembly two years ago, will again be reintroduced in the House. Earlier, then Governor SC Jamir had returned Odisha Police Bill, 2015 and suggested to the State Government to re-introduce it for consideration of the Assembly.