Tamil Nadu sees dip in crime against women, says NCRB; K Palaniswami credits police force

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday said the state fared better when it came to instances of crime against women when compared to others and credited crime prevention activities by the police for this. Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the Chief Minister said a total of 5,847 cases of crimes against women were registered in Tamil Nadu in the year 2015 whereas the number was far more in states like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. [caption id=“attachment_3723799” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of E Palaniswamy. PTI[/caption] Uttar Pradesh had recorded nearly 35,600 cases while West Bengal came next with with 33,218, followed by Maharashtra with 31,126 and Rajasthan at 28,165 in 2015, he said. The number of such cases were in excess of 9000 in states like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, he added. “Since crime prevention activities are taken effectively in Tamil Nadu, crimes against women, when compared to other states, are lesser,” he informed the state Assembly. The chief minister was wrapping up the debate on the grants for his home (police and fire and rescue services) department. Palaniswami said his government was guided by the principles followed by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and therefore accorded top priority for women’s safety. Police were, therefore, providing adequate security for women including at workplaces, educational institutions and crowded place such as commercial establishments, he said. Reeling out statistics, he said overall instances of crime, including murder and robbery, have come down in the state due to effective policing. There was a substantial dip in such instances in the 2011-16 period as compared to 2006-10, when DMK was in power, Palaniswami said. The police and agencies concerned were closely monitoring the activities of banned outfits, fundamentalist organisations and naxalites and taking preventive activities to ensure peace in the state. “Police are ensuring terror activities don’t find a footing in the state,” he added. Meanwhile, responding to pleas from Opposition DMK and three allies of AIADMK for granting of parole to AG Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the chief minister recalled having said the matter was under the government’s consideration. He said he had discussed the matter with law minister C Ve Shanmugam and that legal opinion had also been sought. “The government will take action keeping in mind the aspirations of all,” he said. Earlier, the chief minister made a slew of announcements covering police and fire and rescue services departments. These included procuring various kinds of necessary gadgets and equipment, increasing various allowances for the personnel concerned and revising many incentives among others.