Stressing the need for visible changes in the policing across the state, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said asked the Police department to create an environment where the fear of punishment should deter criminal activity.
While capturing and convicting criminals post-crime is one aspect of law enforcement, the CM stressed the importance of instilling a fear of committing crimes in the first place. He asked the police department to give confidence among the people on their safety and expressed a desire for Andhra Pradesh to regain its status as a peaceful state with robust law and order.
In the review meeting held at the Secretariat, he spoke over the rising crime rate in the state during the previous regime. Officials highlighted a 46% increase in crime rates from 2019 to 2024 compared to 2014-2019. Specifically, incidents of crimes against women surged by 35.91%, missing women cases increased by 84.83%, and cyber crimes escalated by 134.43% during the same period. Cases involving ganja (marijuana) and drugs saw a rise of 107.89%, while crimes against children skyrocketed by 151.88%.
Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the need for strict actions against violence directed towards women, stating that it should be made clear to criminals that any attack on women would result in severe consequences. He pointed out that the previous government’s policies led to a significant increase in ganja cultivation, distribution, and use in the state and called for drones to identify and eliminate such crops.
The Chief Minister announced plans for rallies against ganja and drugs in 26 districts next month, where he also intends to participate. He highlighted the necessity of educating the public about drug-related issues and reiterated that there would be zero tolerance for delays in crime investigations.
Naidu lamented when the officials revealed the police department currently possesses 143 drones, with only 88 operational. Of the 1,250 body-worn cameras, just 444 are functional. In the locked house monitoring system, only 317 of 1,180 cameras are operational, and out of 14,712 CCTV cameras across various locations in the state, 2,371 are non-functional. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System also remains idle.
The Chief Minister assured that all necessary measures would be taken to reinvigorate the police department. He announced the immediate release of Rs. 10 crore for overdue equipment maintenance and Rs. 11 crore for pending bills related to the installation of CCTV cameras. Additionally, he approved Rs. 61 crore for modernizing the police force.