Punjab CM sets targets for police officers probing heinous crimes

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], December 19 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered for specific targets to be set for the investigation of criminal cases by police officers, in a bid to enforce strict investigation compliance and to improve conviction rate in heinous crimes, especially against women and children.
As per a statement, police officers of all ranks will now be required to personally investigate and present challans in a set number of cases every year, accompanied by strict supervision, regular follow-ups and close coordination with law officers.
On the orders of the Chief Minister, Director-General of Police Dinkar Gupta issued directives the ADCP in the three Police Commissionerates and SPs posted in the districts will personally investigate at least 6 heinous crime cases in a year and submit challans under their own name, while ACP/ DSP Sub-Divisions have been tasked with personally investigating at least 8 heinous crime cases in a year and submit challans under their own name.
The Chief Minister said that the targets had been set after observing that investigation and prosecution of cases had taken a back seat due to work pressures and lack of supervision by the gazetted police officers responsible for enforcing accountability.
The directives further require that ACPs and other officers of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) should camp at the scene of crime till the case is solved, in Special Reported (SR) cases (murder, rape, atrocities against women and children).
The DGP further directed IGP/DIG Ranges, CPs and SSPs to ensure compliance of these directions and send a Compliance Report, along with the list of heinous crime cases being investigated by officers, by January 5, 2021.
IGP/DIG Ranges will also hold monthly crime meetings while CPs and SSPs will hold weekly crime meetings where they will review compliance with the directions. (ANI)