20.6% prisoners involved in crimes against women, 41.5% for drug trafficking in Himachal

Shimla: Even as the issue of overcrowding in jails in Himachal Pradesh has started attracting the attention of the government, at least 20.6 per cent of the inmates are involved in crimes against women.

Of a total of 2,901 prisoners against a total capacity of 2,560 lodged in different jails in the state, 598 are incarcerated for committing crimes against women (CAW).

“Out of them, 333 are under-trials and 265 convicted i.e. 20.6 per cent of total lodged strength of inmates is of crime against women,” said Director General of police Sanjay Kundu, who claimed that the police had adopted zero tolerance against persons indulging in sexual offences in the state.

The state police had already introduced Register no 26 at all police stations to maintain separate data on the offenders and those involved in the crime against women. This has helped the police in effectively dealing with such persons who were repeatedly committing offences against women including rape, sexual violation, abduction and molestation. There are nearly 35 per cent of people who are committing these offences repeatedly.

The highest number of persons involved in crime against women are from Shimla numbering 169 followed by Sirmaur and Kangra having 135 and 100 respectively.

Himachal Pradesh Police has also launched its biggest drive against drug trafficking in the state. There are more than 1,205 inmates lodged in Jails for committing offences under NDPS Act (drugs) cases. Out of these 930 are under-trials and 275 convicted i.e. 41.5 per cent of the total lodged population of inmates.

Presently, there are a total of 15 prisons functional in the State of Himachal Pradesh including a newly constructed prison at Nalagarh which has a capacity of 166 prisoners.

Himachal Pradesh Police is especially focusing on crimes against women and NDPS Act cases. For speedy disposal of NDPS Act cases and crime against women/POCSO cases, a Robust Trial Management system has also been started by the Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh whereby a weekly monitoring system of case evaluation has been established.

Ever since this Robust Trial Management System has been started, there has been a significant increase in the disposal of NDPS Act cases and crime against women cases, said Kundu.

Some of the worst affected districts by narcotics drug trafficking include Kullu—which is known for smuggling charas produced from cannabis cultivation being done illegally in the higher valleys where the police can’t easily reach.

However, the intelligence inputs now reveal that the number of tourists and travellers coming to Kullu particularly Parvati valley and places like Malana are getting addicted to sympathetic drugs. There have been cases of drug overdose deaths pouring in from Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kangra and Una.

The authorities claim that ‘chitta’ (heroine) reaching small towns in Himachal Pradesh is being smuggled from Punjab where the drugs were being pushed from Punjab via international borders.

Sanjeev Gandhi, Superintendent of Police Shimla, who got posted here only some time back, admits that he had been told by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu to launch a crackdown on narcotics drug peddlers and get hold of the real mastermind behind the trafficking.