VIJAYAWADA: The Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act will be implemented according to the guidelines of the Supreme Court, Director General of Police Nanduri Sambasivarao.
Speaking to the media here on Monday, he said anyone damaging public property even if they are expressing dissent will not be spared.
Anyone who wants to take out any procession should give an undertaking to the police, taking the responsibility. Police permission is a must hence forth, he said.
The DGP said that in the new state of Andhra Pradesh, the police is facing challenges from various conflicts in different areas of the state. He expressed concern over the rise in caste conflicts.
In Amalapuram of East Godavari district, as many as 110 caste conflict incidents have been reported. The Maoist threat in north coastal region, faction-related issues in Rayalaseema and industrial conflicts are throwing challenges to the police, he said.
Responding to a question on Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabam’s pa-dayatra, the DGP said they are examining the situation that prevailed in the past during similar padayatras. In 1994 also, these types of padayatras took place. The police is assessing the situation now and will take necessary decisions to maintain law and order, he said.
Mr Sambasivarao said that Andhra Pradesh has lost so many institutions post bifurcation. New institutions will be established with the help of the Union government. The Union government has already allotted Rs 230 crore in the first phase to establish a forensic science laboratory and a Greyhounds training centre.
He also said the Andhra Pradesh police would implement technology in a big way including CCTV monitoring systems, body-worn cameras, emergency response system and centralised database system.
The DGP took on civil rights activists who levelled allegations against the cops over Maoist leader RK, saying they have been doing this for the past 20 years. He said the police is not against any group but it sees the Maoist problem as the biggest threat to internal security. He reiterated that if anyone wants to come out of the Maoist fold, leaving weapons behind, the police will welcome the move and provide rehabilitation.
Mr Sambasivarao said the Maoists have lost their prominence among the people and they are an obstruction to development.
