Revanth bats for fast-track courts to try drug peddlers

Hyderabad: Expressing serious concern over poor conviction rate in drug cases, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday said the government would soon form fast-track courts for speedy trial and huge punishments in the cases. He felt that unless the guilty get stringent punishment, controlling the menace would not be that easy.

Addressing the Home department staff on the occasion of Praja Palana Vijayotsavalu at HMDA Grounds here on Friday, the Chief Minister said once there were more rape and murder cases but now the dimension of crimes has drastically changed. Cybercrime and drug cases are increasing and are throwing a new challenge to the state, he said. There is a need to stop this trend, the CM said, adding that there should be special teams like Octopus and Greyhounds to check cybercrimes by engaging B Tech and M Tech graduates as data analysts in drugs.

“In drug cases, we are falling short in convictions. The punishment also is less. There is a need to give special training. I will review the department and if needed we will set up fast-track courts and ensure judgements within six months,” the Chief Minister said. He stressed the need to check the drug menace in schools. The school and college managements have the responsibility to check the behavior of the students. The commissioners of tri-commissionerates should call the school managements, interact with them and hold awareness camps, he added.

The students should also told about the consequences if they fall prey to such menace, Revanth told the officials. While emphasising on friendly policing, the CM said: “It means friendly with the victims not the perpetrators of crime.” In an indirect reference to the ruckus the BRS leader Kaushik Reddy had created at a police station on Thursday, the CM said those who go to police station should behave with decency and the police too should show compassion towards the victims. But if anyone, including public representatives, misbehave let the law take its own course. In such cases protocol cannot be cited, he said.

On Home Guards Raising Day, the Chief Minister announced an increase in the honorarium of home guards from Rs 921 to Rs 1,000 per day and parade allowances from Rs 100 to Rs 200. He also announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh if any home guard loses life in accident. They will also be provided with health cards on the lines of government employees from January, he added. The CM further said a Young India Police School near Greyhounds training center in the city would be set up. The school will be on the lines of Sainik Schools and children of home guards to DGP can study in this school, he said.