Chandigarh, Nov 1 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said Chandigarh will be the first city in the country to become drug-free even as he lauded Chandigarh Police, saying it performed duties in an exemplary manner and set a benchmark across the country.
Since 1966, Chandigarh Police has worked tirelessly to safeguard the city, effectively writing a golden chapter in the history of policing across the nation, he said.
“I believe that over these 60 years, Chandigarh — as the heart of the northern region — has made a successful effort to contribute to the security of all of India,” he said while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 60th Raising Day event of Chandigarh Police.
Presenting the President’s Colour to the Chandigarh Police, Shah said it is a recognition of the force’s six decades of service and dedication.
Over the past 60 years, the Chandigarh Police has successfully worked towards safeguarding the entire country, serving as a vital force in the heart of the northern region, he said.
Lauding the force, Shah said that with a strength of around 6,000 personnel, various wings, including the Crime Wing, Operation Cell, Security Wing, Traffic Police and PCR, have performed their duties in an exemplary manner and set benchmarks across the country.
“Now that we have resolved to build a drug-free India, Chandigarh will be the first city in the country to become drug-free,” he said.
When the period of terrorism began, Chandigarh too was not left untouched by its impact. During those difficult times, Chandigarh Police demonstrated extraordinary valour and courage, the Union home minister said.
Through its dedicated service and good governance, it not only worked to protect Chandigarh but also the rest of India from terrorism, he said.
Shah said the three new criminal laws were introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chandigarh, marking the country’s transition away from the three punitive laws enacted by the British.
Referring to the new criminal laws, he said a total of 8,206 FIRs have been registered from August 4, 2024, until today. “Out of these, Chandigarh Police filed online chargesheets in 7,590 cases, which is a national record.”
With an increase in the conviction rate, Chandigarh Police managed to secure punishments in 85 per cent of cases, he said.
“I believe this serves as an ideal for the country and all its police units that if we implement the new judicial codes effectively, we can ensure punishment for 85 per cent of criminals. Chandigarh has proven this by doing it,” he noted.
He further said that because of the old laws, police services were defamed by the ‘jumla’ – ‘tareekh pe tareekh’, adding that for many years, and sometimes for generations, justice was not served.
“Today, I want to tell you that the 85 per cent conviction rate achieved by Chandigarh has an average punishment timeline of just 140 days. It means completing the entire judicial process in less than six months and putting the accused behind bars,” he said.
Shah appealed to Chandigarh Police to make the fight against drug abuse its priority.
“We can move towards a Viksit Bharat only by freeing the younger generation from the menace of drugs,” he said.
The Union home minister said that the Centre would give AI-enabled 2,152 CCTV cameras to Chandigarh. “With this, Chandigarh will become even safer, and we will be able to firmly ensure the safety of the citizens.”
Shah said policing in the country has largely remained focused on tackling terrorism, drugs, cybercrime and maintaining law and order.
However, facilitating ease of access to services for citizens is also an important responsibility of the police, he added.
He said Chandigarh Police has ensured that whether a citizen needs to obtain a passport, secure a police clearance certificate or a no-objection certificate for employment, or avail of any other service, there is no need for them to visit a police station.
He said Chandigarh, which is a Union Territory, has one of the highest vehicle densities in the country.
“Before and after becoming the Union home minister, I have visited Chandigarh several times, with and without official protocol, but I have never witnessed a traffic jam here,” he said.
The response time of the Quick Response Team (QRT) here is 10 minutes, while the police response time is just four minutes, he said.
Paying homage to all the martyrs of Chandigarh Police, Shah said laying down one’s life in the line of duty — making the ultimate sacrifice — is a matter of immense pride for a soldier and also for the organisation to which they belong, he said.
He said 141 new vehicles are being inducted into the Chandigarh Police fleet on Sunday. This will significantly strengthen rapid response, intensive patrolling, mobility, technology and modern policing.
He said that Chandigarh Police currently ranks second in the country in terms of response time and, with the addition of 141 new vehicles, it will rank first nationwide.
(PTI News)
