Substantial decline in crime rate in Assam due to strong action by police: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the state police have taken strong measures against crime and criminals leading to a substantial decline in crime rates with no disruption in the smooth conduct of governance in the last few years.

The present state government has adopted a decisive goal to transform Assam, where crime is minimal and citizens can actively contribute to the state's progress, the CM said at the Dikshant Parade of 70 Deputy Superintendents of Police probationers in North Eastern Police Academy at Umiam in Meghalaya.

He said that in coordination with the commitment of the government for a crime-free and drug-free state, Assam Police has been dealing with all forms of crime and has adopted a firm stance against criminals.

The DSPs play an important role in giving ground-level leadership to the rank and file of police and have a major contribution in maintaining law and order, he said.

''They must uphold the highest standard of professional excellence, integrity and honesty, which will help them in meeting the expectations of the society, the government and the people they represent'', the chief minister said.

The crime rate per lakh population in the state has significantly dropped from 349 in 2020 to 139 in 2024, the charge sheet rate has surged from 47.8 per cent to 66.7 per cent, while the conviction rate has increased to 22.9 per cent in 2024, he said.

Crimes against women have declined from 26,352 cases in 2020 to 5,555 in 2024 while stringent action against child marriage offenders have led to a substantial rise in case registrations, from 138 cases in 2020 to 5,498 cases in 2023, Sarma said.

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The police have undertaken an unwavering crackdown on drug trafficking leading to the seizure of drugs worth ₹2,885 crore since 2020 and over a thousand bighas of cannabis and opium cultivation have been destroyed, he said.

In 2024 alone, police registered 3,323 drug-related cases, underscoring its firm stand against narcotics, he added.

Congratulating the 70 DSPs, the chief minister said that the passing out parade at the culmination of the 54th Basic course at NEPA marked a significant milestone in the life of the officer trainees.

The rigorous training undertaken at the NEPA will definitely help the officers to become professionally competent to face myriad challenges, he said.

Since its establishment in 1978, NEPA’s basic courses have trained over five thousand DSPs and Sub-Inspectors.

The 54th basic course started on April 2, 2024 had 70 DSPs out of which 62 are from Assam and the remaining eight from Mizoram.