“The rate of prosecution of criminals is just five per cent in some states in the region, as compared to the national figure of over 85 per cent,” Singh said.
“…Now the time has come when apart from insurgency- centric security, we must think, plan and deliver on people-centric security,” he told a security meeting of all north east Chief Ministers here.
“The people of the region have suffered the trauma of insurgency for long. Now they must reap the dividend of peace. Insurgency has adversely impacted the criminal justice system,” he added.
“It has severely undermined common man’s access to justice. In some N-E states, ratio of prosecution of criminals in cases of serious crimes is disturbingly low, as low as five per cent as against all-India figure of over 85 per cent. In cases of kidnapping for ransom, this data is negligible in NER,” Singh said.
He, however, noted that there has been a marked increase in low-visibility yet high-impact violent crimes like kidnapping for ransom and extortions in Assam and Meghalaya.
“The state police must pay greater attention to registration and investigation of crimes and pursue the cases diligently in the courts for punishing the criminals, who commit heinous crimes in these states. The larger criminal justice system must deliver,” the Home Minister said.
Singh urged chief ministers to pay attention to maintaining law and order in their respective states, and said that the Centre would always be forthcoming with assistance in this regard. (ANI)