Port Blair, Sept 01: Crime and the methods change with the change in scenario. And to ensure that the law-abiding citizens get to go with their lives peacefully, police has to change its approach to minimise the opportunities of committing crime. Now, the policemen cannot be everywhere at all times, but by understanding the changing circumstances and prioritising accordingly, a lot can be achieved. That is what the district police of North and Middle Andaman district is doing.
While 2 months back, jungle searches were being conducted regularly to deal with the menace of Handia making, with the opening of bars and wine shops, the focus had to shift on people selling IMFL illegally. And the district police of North and Middle Andaman did that seamlessly. With a regular watch over historysheeters and bootleggers, the district police has been able to keep a check on illegal selling of IMFL. In the month of August, the police has registered 27 cases for violation of Excise Regulation. What is to be kept in mind that it is not always about the big quantities, it is also about selling IMFL in small pegs to daily wagers, taking their hard earned money. That is what the focus has been on.
Apart from that, as a matter of rule, the licenses of all the drivers caught driving drunk are being recommended for suspension, with NO Exceptions. In last 2 months, the district police has booked 39 defaulters for drunken driving.
A drive has also been conducted to execute all pending warrants. People change addresses and don’t turn up in courts, which affects the justice delivery system. Help is being taken from the district police of South Andaman and Nicobar and teams have also been dispatched to other districts in some cases.
All this is being done without losing focus from the enforcement of COVID guidelines. In the month of August itself, around 1700 people have been booked for violation of guidelines of administration under Disaster Management Act.