Zero Tolerance for Law and Order Violations: CM Naidu

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday asserted that there would be zero tolerance towards crimes.

He warned against any disturbance to law and order and directed the police and district administrations to act firmly against rowdyism, organised crime and activities that threaten public peace.

Reviewing the law and order situation at the two-day fifth collectors’ conference in Amaravati, the Chief Minister stated, “There is no place for rowdies in the state.” He ordered the externment of notorious offenders.

Naidu asked officials to identify professional rowdies in every district, issue strict warnings and, if they failed to reform, invoke the Preventive Detention (PD) Act to banish them from the state.

Any attempt to disrupt peace and security, he said, should invite severe action, including externment.

While calling for firmness, Naidu cautioned the police against harassing citizens through issuing of unwarranted challans. “Do not inconvenience people in the name of enforcement,” he said, underlining that policing must inspire confidence among the public and fear among offenders.”

Reviews, he stressed, were not meant to be ritualistic but aimed at achieving tangible results in maintaining peace and security.

Expressing concern over incidents such as drug trafficking, criminal violence and immoral activities reported from certain districts, including Nellore, the CM said such acts could be allowed “only in films, not in real life.”

He directed officials to widely publicise punishments for crimes so as to deter potential offenders and asked the police women safety wing to further strengthen self-defence training programmes.

The Chief Minister noted that crimes against SCs and STs had declined by 22.5 per cent compared to the previous year. This, he said, was an encouraging trend. He instructed officials to increase continuous inspections in sensitive villages and remain vigilant against economic offences.

On cybercrime, he called for the establishment of cybercrime police stations in all districts and a detailed study on financial losses caused by such crimes.

Naidu said Andhra Pradesh must adopt all-India standards in forensic operations. To strengthen coastal security, he directed the immediate procurement of boats and greater use of drones, with integration to the RTGS system.

He also said the Emergency Response System should reach victims within 15 minutes. Every road accident, he said, must be reviewed and corrective measures taken at accident-prone black spots.

Districts were asked to present best practices adopted to control the top three crimes at the next conference.

Naidu also ordered action against misinformation and defamatory campaigns on social media. A ministerial committee, along with police and experts, would study the issue and strict punishment would be given to those creating fake accounts and indulging in character assassination, he said.

Summing up the two-day conference, the Chief Minister said the discussions were meaningful and aimed at accelerating the “speed of delivering governance.”

Making it clear that he would not rely solely on reports and statistics, he said he would conduct surprise inspections.

Naidu announced that a welfare calendar would be implemented from April and asked officials to ensure effective utilization of central funds while also focusing on mobilising an additional Rs.5,000 crore.

Collectors were directed to replicate best practices presented by six districts across the state.