THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Soon after a movie actress was sexually abused in a car at Kochi in February, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came under fire for crumbling law and order situation prompting him to order state police to prepare a long list of suspects to be booked under anti-goonda act. However, in Thiruvananthapuram district, only less than a dozen, including three from city has been booked under Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) in recent months.
Of the list of 2,010 goons submitted from various district to ADGP B. Syed Mohammed Yasin, around 226 were from Thiruvananthapuram district and a third belonged city. As per officials, many do not have a new case within past six months to their credit, to qualify for detainment under KAAPA. Puthenpalam Rajesh was the first high profile man to be booked in February.
“Unlike in past, we do not have history sheeters frequently engaging in nefarious activities. We have moved KAAPA against 20 more suspects in city. All of their cases are under various stages,” said a senior official. The Thiruvananth-apuram city police had, in a knee jerk reaction, started a short lived drive under the name “Nagaravetta” which did not continue for long.
As per police officials attached to Shangumugham subdivision history sheeters often go absconding for six-eight months. They hide in cities like Bengaluru after committing major offences. “A detention of at least one year is needed to break their network of anti-socials. Collectors also need to pro-actively permit KAAPA. This was the case during the tenure of Mr Biju Prabhakar as collector,” he added.
