Haryana liquor vend auctions under criminal cloud, police to up vigil
Chandigarh: Taking note of gangsters and small-time criminals firing gunshots to intimdate people participating in the auction of liquor vends, Haryana Police have announced that they would enhance the deployment of emergency response vehicles (ERVs), which are units that respond to emergency calls made to the police control room.
Police have also that they have identified 4,900 notorious elements, including persons with a criminal history, to be put under direct surveillance to check their movement and activities to prevent crimes and anti-social activities. All this came to light during a meeting chaired by Haryana director general of police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapoor with senior officials on Sunday evening.
During the meeting, he issued directions to officers to enhance the operational efficiency of ERVs.
He said ERVs were the "face" of Haryana Police, and their primary responsibility was to respond promptly and act effectively upon receiving information about any incident. It was informed in the meeting that approximately 4,000 police personnel are deployed with ERVs in the state.
The DGP said a technical audit of ERV operations was necessary and suggested that technical support could be sought from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
He instructed senior officers to regularly inspect ERVs and assess key metrics such as response time, time of arrival at the incident spot, and the subsequent action taken.
The DGP issued clear instructions that strict legal action must be taken under a policy of zero tolerance against offenders. "Anyone exploiting the public, issuing threats, or engaging in illegal extortion must face stringent legal consequences," the DGP said in the meeting.
Top excise officer names 4 districts
Haryana commissioner and secretary (excise and taxation) Ashima Brar also participated in the meeting chaired by DGP Shatrujeet Kapoor on Sunday. She mentioned that liquor vend auctions will be conducted over the next month, and heightened vigilance was needed in four districts—Bhiwani, Hisar, Rohtak, and Yamunanagar. To ensure fearless participation by contractors in the auction, DGP Kapoor directed all district police chiefs to build a sense of trust among vendors and conduct regular blockades and intensive surveillance drives.
He instructed coordination with the excise department to develop an effective plan and to keep a close watch on miscreants throughout the auction process, which will continue until June 30.
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