Speed Up Inquiry Into Pending Cases On SC, ST Atrocities: AP CM YS Jagan

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to conduct a speedy inquiry into the pending cases on SC, ST atrocities during the state level highpower SC, ST Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meet here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that Highpower Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meetings were not held since 2013, as the previous government laid no focus on law enforcement especially in the cases of SCs and STs. He said that regular review of SC, ST law enforcement, both at state and district level, meetings should be held.

The Chief Minister said that for the first time in the history of the state, police department has taken tough decisions regarding the SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act and took stringent action against those police officers who were found guilty, proving no one is above the law and no offender shall escape.

The State government shall continue to provide financial assistance to victims of harassment without any delay. He directed the officials to provide jobs to families of the victims of rape and murder in SC and ST cases. He suggested providing land for the victims and in case of unavailability, he told the officials to acquire and distribute it to the victims.

The Chief Minister  instructed the in-charge Ministers to review the implementation of the Prevention of SC and ST Atrocities Act in the districts every three months and involve senior officials and other stakeholders. He told the officials to prepare an SOP on law enforcement and effective implementation of the Act. The Chief Minister also directed the Investigation Wing of SC, ST Act cases in CID to review the progress on a regular basis.
‘Police need to be closer to the downtrodden communities and provide assurance on the law. We have already made it mandatory for collectors to visit village secretariats once a week, from now on District SPs along with Collectors should go to SC and ST Colonies once a week. At the very first collectors conference after  formation of the government, it was told that the State shall stand by the oppressed sections and women,’ said the Chief Minister and asked the officials to focus on setting up special courts, especially appointing lawyers, as well as providing assistance to victims.

Dr. G. Sunil Kumar, Director, Scheduled Castes National Commission, lauded the State government as the only one in the country to have given Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victims in various cases. Committee members lauded the government's handling of incidents in East Godavari (Rajahmundry), Prakasam and Srikakulam districts with the implementation of the Act.

Meanwhile, the officials informed that the number of cases were decreased by 11 percent in 2020, which is the lowest in the past six years. Almost 36 percent reduction in SC and ST murder cases in 2020,  17 percent reduction in rape cases, five percent reduction in trauma cases, 46 percent reduction in incidents of arson, 11 percent reduction in other IPC cases and 18 percent reduction in cases under the SC, ST Act. In terms of investigation, in 2017, there was an average of 264 days per case investigation which came down to just 50 days in the year 2020.
The Chief Minister later released a booklet prepared by the Police Department on the 'good conduct towards SCs, STs and women.'
The meeting was attended by Ministers Mekatoti Sucharitha, Pinipe Viswaroop, Adimulapu Suresh, Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das, DGP Gautam Sawang and other senior officials.