Sharp decline in number of murder cases in Tamil Nadu, says DGP Shankar Jiwal

Tamil Nadu sees sharp decline in murder cases, strict measures against anti-social elements credited, police review reveals.

With a slew of stringent measures being taken against anti-social elements, Tamil Nadu has witnessed a sharp decline in the number of murder cases in the last five months, Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal said here on Thursday.

The number of murder cases reported across the State used to be around 132 to 140 in the last six years, but it had come down to 100 a month in the last five months, he said at the end of a review of crime cases in Madurai range and Madurai City Police limits.

The pattern of murder cases in the State showed a spike in April, May and June. “Officials have been instructed not to show any leniency to the accused, especially anti-social elements, involved in bodily hurt cases. After registering the first information reports, the accused should be arrested,” he said.

Simultaneously, the police heads had been asked to file chargesheets in all similar cases to send a message to the anti-social elements. The conviction rate in “real” POCSO cases had crossed 50%, which was encouraging.

He reviewed cases pertaining to crime against women, murders, especially due to gang wars, caste-based and communal-based along with action taken to check drugs and banned tobacco products.

The range had shown good focus on conducting mental health programme. Also, Madurai City Police were planning to have a “weaning away” programme for first-time offenders, he added.

Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Prem Anand Sinha and Madurai City Commissioner of Police J. Loganathan, Superintendents of Police B. K. Arvind (Madurai) and D. Kannan (Virudhunagar), Deputy Commissioners of Police A.G. Inigo Thivyan, G.S. Anitha, R. Rajeswari and S. Vanitha, were present at the review meeting.