GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced his ambition to transform the state police into one of the country's top ten forces by 2026.
Speaking to the media, Sarma highlighted the progress made in registering cases and filing chargesheets but acknowledged the need to improve convictions.
As part of the reforms, the Assam government aims to appoint 400 crime scene officers to enhance effective convictions. These officers will be promptly dispatched to capture and recover crucial evidence. Additionally, forensic personnel are undergoing training, and three new forensic laboratories are slated to be established.
All auxiliary units, including home guards and civil defense, will be integrated under the director general of police at the Assam Police headquarters.
General Diary (GD) entries are set to be digitised from October 1. Furthermore, the government plans to fill all vacancies in the state police by April 2024.
During surveys, it was discovered that while 50 per cent of total cases were registered in Guwahati, the city had only 10 per cent of the police force.
To enhance the legal process, the government will provide legal advisors to the superintendents of police if the prosecution loses any case in lower courts. This move aims to ensure effective appeals are filed in the High Court. In cases of crime against children where an accused is acquitted, appeals will be made in higher courts after careful study and scrutiny of the case and verdict.
Additionally, the government has decided to sell off seized gold jewellery, vehicles, and other valuables kept in police stations within three months to preserve their value.