Akhilesh gives UP cops ‘free hand’ to act against criminals

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said he had given a free hand to police to take action against criminals, and accepted that his government was being targeted on the law and order front in spite of its work in health, education and other sectors.

Speaking at the launch of Women Power Line, a toll-free helpline for women to lodge complaints of harassment by indecent phone calls, SMSes and MMSes, Akhilesh said he had directed police officers to make district-wise lists of persons who were disturbing law and order and troubling people. "The previous government had also promised to prepare a list of 500 criminals but nobody got any such list," he said.

In an apparent reference to former chief minister Mayawati, Akhilesh said that recently a leader, after attending a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister in Delhi, had said that law and order had collapsed in the state.

He said it was the police who were running police stations, not Samajwadi Party workers. "It is not that all police officers are bad. But fingers are raised on the conduct of certain officers," the Chief Minister said.

The Women Power Line can be used by woman in any part of the state by dialling 1090. Their identity will not be disclosed and they will not have to visit a police station to lodge a complaint. The Women Power Line will investigate the complaint and take necessary action.

Talking about the menace of unwanted phone calls, the Chief Minister said some time ago, a man from Basti called on his mobile phone and used abusive language because he had not got a free laptop under the government scheme to give laptops and tablets to students.

"The police traced that person but I asked them not to take further action," Akhilesh said.

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