Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that personnel serving in the state police’s specialised anti-Naxal unit C-60 will be honoured with medals.
CM Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, directed officials to fully digitise policing processes, from filing FIRs to submitting chargesheets, and emphasised the need to improve conviction rates through the use of advanced technology, the PTI reported.
Addressing reporters after a half-yearly conference with senior police officials on Monday, he said, “Those who have served a minimum of three years in the C-60 force that combats Naxalites will receive a medal. The decision was taken today.”
The conference reviewed the implementation of new penal codes, technological adaptations, and reforms discussed earlier at the DG-IG conference, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“At the DG-IG conference, states were given 106 action points, and Maharashtra officials made presentations on the progress,” the CM said, the news agency reported.
“Maharashtra has nearly eliminated Maoist activity. A total of 244 police personnel have lost their lives over the years in anti-Naxal operations,” he added, praising the security forces.
AI push and conviction rate targets
Emphasising the adoption of technology, Fadnavis said Artificial Intelligence tools will be integrated into policing.
“AI is being used for tool creation and can also be used in filing FIRs and chargesheets. I have tasked the Director General of Police with ensuring that the entire process, from registering FIRs to filing charge sheets, is completely digitised. An evidence management system should be upgraded using blockchain technology,” he said, PTI reported.
He noted that the state’s conviction rate has improved but remains around 50 per cent, with a target of 95 per cent.
Conviction rates in sessions court trials remain lower, he said, adding that strategies were discussed to improve outcomes.
“AI will be used to analyse cases from the past four to five years, with the Crime Investigation Department examining gaps to help formulate policies for improving efficiency and conviction rates,” he said.
Road safety, anti-drug drive, and crime monitoring
On road safety, the CM said police interventions have helped reduce accidents, citing a pilot project in Nagpur that brought down accidents by 30 per cent. He added that accidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have also declined.
“Discussions were held on national security and cyberspace. A ‘drug-free campus’ initiative will be implemented, with a detailed strategy to be presented soon. We will launch a strong drive against drugs,” he said, PTI reported.
Fadnavis also said forensic case pendency has reduced, but efforts are underway to enable real-time processing.
Districts with higher crime rates will be graded and asked to improve performance over the next six months, he added.
“The Director General of Police will felicitate high-performing officers, while those lagging behind will be asked to improve,” he said.
AI tool to identify illegal migrants under development
On an AI tool being developed to identify Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the state, Fadnavis said it is still under development at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
“The results so far are encouraging. We will share more details once it is fully ready,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
