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Karnataka HM Ramalinga Reddy to police: Fire at criminals if necessary

The government has ordered police to book habitual offenders under Goonda Act and even open fire at them if necessary.

Bengaluru: Far from being complacent despite its good performance on the law and order front, the state government had ordered the police to book habitual offenders under the Goonda Act and even open fire at them if necessary, in the interest of public safety, Home Minister, Ramalinga Reddy said here on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after a senior police officers' meeting, Mr Reddy said the law and order situation in the state was far better than in many states in the country, including Uttar Pradesh , but the government remained on its toes. “The police have been instructed to open fire if necessary at habitual criminals and in self defence,” he said, adding that the government was also focusing on POSCO cases and narcotics. “The police have been asked to get to the root of the narcotics trade in the state instead of merely booking small-time peddlars. Strict action will be taken against those involved in the drug racket,” he warned.

Refuting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath’s claim that law and order was deteriorating in Karnataka, he said it was in fact much better than in UP.

“When the BJP was governing the state, Bengaluru’s population was 90 lakh and now it is 1.2 crore. But the crime rate in the city today is still much lower than what it was then,'' he said, adding that the recent by-elections in UP, which the BJP lost badly, was proof that Karnataka was better administered than the northern state.

Moving on, the Minister said some police officers, including those who had served for a long time in the city, had been transferred on the orders of the Election Commission.

In reply to a question, Mr Reddy said he was aware of media reports on the Mandya Superintendent of Police using police personnel as orderlies and he would order an inquiry into the matter.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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