Maharashtra Police ready to face new age challenges: DGP Sanjeev Dayal

• Police force to rely on forensic tools for improving conviction rate
• Crime against women, cyber and economic offences poses new challenge and police department is going to sharpen its focus

By Dheeraj Fartode

Waking-up to new age challenges and reorienting the police force to meet these threats viz--crime against women, cyber and economic crime-- tops the new year agenda of the Maharashtra Police. Disclosing this Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjeev Dayal said to meet these challenges we have taken first step by starting refreshers courses for officers of state police service (SPS) at Maharashtra Police Academy, Nasik.

DGP Sanjeev Dayal

The course is dubbed as specialised training programme and incorporates forensic science and technology. Both are being clubbed to equip the officers who are in field with new perspective in investigating the crime. The biggest advantage that Dayal sees in aftermath of trained personnel is tackling the falling detection as well as conviction rate. These two things combined with other factors are prime factors in ensuring rule of law in any country. And given Maharashtra's importance owing to Mumbai, the financial capital of country, the force need to be extra vigilant as well as fully equipped with that vision to be ready for any situation.

Interacting with ‘The Hitavada’ on Wednesday on sidelines of ongoing winter session of State Legislature here in city, DGP Dayal said various steps are being taken to improve the conviction rate. We have achieved a bit of success and conviction rate now stands at 15.8% which is 7.8% more than conviction rate of 2011. But we are not satisfied as the force needs to do much better. 

After analysing cases where accused were acquitted it was observed that hostile witness was the single biggest reason behind it. Hence the police officers investigating crimes are going to equip men with forensic tools so that they can help in bettering evidence against accused persons. This would definitely change the situation and State can improve the conviction rate in near future.

The DGP mentioned that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sanctioned proposal moved by police force which are going to be of much help to field officers. We are going to form forensic team at each police unit in the State. On the point of service delivery at police station level, he said we are trying to sensitise the force.

On terror threat to State, the DGP said that the force has been directed to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Intelligence is the main tool to counter terrorism or unlawful activity in the State and we have decided to strengthen the intelligence network. Appointment of retired RAW and IB officials on contract basis at State Intelligence Department (SID) is the part of preparing the force for future challenges, Dayal stated.

Talking about Naxal menace at Gadchiroli and Gondia districts, the State DGP said that the police have been successful in curbing activities of Naxals. Since 2013, the elite C-60 commandos and state police have eliminated 40 Naxals and many top red leaders have also surrendered. State police have gained upper hand in the Naxal infested area and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also praised Maharashtra Police for the good work,” he mentioned and complimented the police force working in Naxal belt.

The force have strengthened intelligence network in the Naxal areas and this has helped us to exposed oveground activities of Naxals and also to eliminate Naxals. Naxals always try to exploit contradictions like social or religious strifes and police are keeping an eye to foil their evil designs.