CHENNAI: With less than a month left for the Lok Sabha election, Tamil Nadu police have intensified their drive against rowdies and anti-social elements, as a precautionary measure, and are actively monitoring over 21,000 such suspects across the state.
The police have also taken an undertaking from nearly 3,000 anti-social elements, warning them not to indulge in any disruptive activities.
Commissionerates in Chennai, Tambaram and Avadi have intensified the drive and Station House Officers have been directed to identify A+ and A category rowdies in their jurisdiction and take undertakings from them. Those who violate the undertakings and indulge in criminal activities or public nuisance have been warned of strict action.
Until about a year ago, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) across commissionerates had exercised powers as executive magistrates to detain habitual offenders if they were found violating personal bonds promising good conduct.
However, the Madras High Court stripped the powers of the DCPs last year, quashing a GO passed in this regard and effectively clipping the wings of the police over preventive detentions.
In September last year, the state police launched ‘TracKD’, an application and integrated data management system for tracking criminals. The police use the app to track the whereabouts of history-sheeters and prevent serious crimes, including revenge murders. The profiles of nearly 30,000 history-sheeters were also digitised for the police to monitor them.