Hyderabad, Jul 17 (IANS): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday directed police to tackle drugs and cybercrime with an iron hand and focus on maintaining law and order in the state, especially Hyderabad.

Addressing a meeting of district Collectors and Superintendents of Police, he said that the Police and Excise Departments and the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGNAB) should work in coordination on drug control.

He directed the police to take stringent action against foreigners found involved in drug peddling. Mentioning that foreigners are being arrested in drug cases, he asked police officials to focus on the purpose of their visit to the state and their activities.

Revanth Reddy said those addicted to drugs should be kept in de-addiction centres, and suggested that a part of Cherlapally Open Air Jail can be used for the purpose. He asked police officials not to compromise on maintaining law and order in the state. He remarked that police should be friendly with victims and not with criminals.

Asserting that police personnel should be visible on roads, he said there should be physical policing at all levels from the Director General of Police to the constable. He also wanted officials to do periodical crime reviews. From Commissioners to SPs and SHOs all should make field visits, he said.

He asked the police to focus on maintaining law and order in Hyderabad and suggested the revival of peace committees at the police station level. He told the Police Commissioners of Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda that while timings can be strictly enforced for pubs, those selling food on streets during night hours should not be troubled. He asked police officials to recognise the fact that the IT sector operates during night hours.

The Chief Minister also asked police officials to take strong measures to check human trafficking.

Police officials informed the Chief Minister that the crime rate has come down compared to last year. He asked them to provide these details to the media with statistics.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police Jitender has issued a directive to Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to prioritise applications received through the Prajavani programme, a state government initiative aimed at resolving public grievances.

The DGP instructed officials to promptly address the applications forwarded to their respective districts and commissionerates. The police chief directed police officials to promptly register cases based on complaints lodged at police stations and to treat the public with courtesy. He underscored the importance of surprise inspections at police stations by Police Commissioners and SPs.

Announcing his own plans for district-wise inspections, the DGP urged senior officers to conduct similar visits. DGP Jitender also issued directives for a review of history sheets, cautious issuance of arms licenses, maintenance of law and order, and expeditious handling of cases related to SCs, STs, and women. He emphasised the importance of road safety and monitoring the performance of CCTV cameras installed under the ‘Nenu Saitam’ program.

The DGP suggested conducting crime review meetings to assess the performance of Station House Officers.