Chief Minister MK Stalin conducted a law and order review meeting in Chennai today (19 January). Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, Home Secretary K Phanindra Reddy and Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu were present along with most Superintendents of Police (SP's) and Police Commissioners.

According to a report in The Hindu, whose author cited sources in the police headquarters, the meeting was necessitated due to a sharp rise in the number of heinous crimes like murder, rape and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The crime statistics for 2022 show an increase when compared to 2019.

Among the districts, Tiruppur has emerged as the crime hotspot of the state. It is followed by Coimbatore city, Cuddalore, and Dharmapuri.

Other issues that are believed to have been discussed in the meeting include the sneaking in of Sri Lankan drug lord Kanjipani Imran, who remains at large; the Coimbatore blast case; involvement of Sri Lankans in camps in drug trafficking, and the stay of Mangalore blast accused Mohammad Shariq in the state.

According to critics of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), this review meeting is proof that all is not well on the law and order front and thus it was right on the part of Governor RN Ravi to not read out parts of his address which called Tamil Nadu as a 'haven of peace and tranquillity.'

Also Read: Tamil Nadu: Exactly Which Parts Of His Speech Did Governor Ravi Skip And Why

rise in crime

Get Swarajya in your inbox.