The Ernakulam Rural police have intensified crackdown on habitual offenders, and the Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) has emerged as a potent tool in the drive.
So far this year, the police have invoked KAAPA against 56 history-sheeters. Of them, nine were arrested, and 36 were externed for varying periods with an explicit order that they risked arrest if they entered the rural police limits in violation of the ban during their externment. Another 11 offenders continue to regularly report at the DySP offices concerned once a week.
The District Police Chief (DPC) can prepare a report recommending the invocation of KAAPA and submit it either to the District Collector for action under Section 3 or to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the jurisdiction under Section 15. While only the Collector can issue an arrest order, the DIG has the authority to order the expulsion of offenders. However, if an expelled person is found remaining within the limits in violation of the DIGโs order, they can be detained without further orders.
The rural police have further increased the frequency of invoking KAAPA since the launch of Operation Clean, which primarily targets the worsening drug menace. Large quantities of ganja and narcotic substances have been seized under the operation, and many accused have been slapped with KAAPA. โWe will enhance our efforts to tackle criminal activities, including taking stringent actions under KAAPA,โ said Vaibhav Saxena, DPC (Ernakulam Rural).
In fact, the rural police were probably the first among police units in the State to utilise KAAPA to control offenders. This coincided with the launch of Operation Dark Hunt, a targeted campaign against anti-social elements, a few years ago during K. Karthikโs term as DPC (Ernakulam Rural). His successors have continued this approach.
KAAPA is meant to be used after other legal measures to address goonda activities that threaten law and order and public peace have been exhausted. For example, Station House Officers can invoke Section 107 or 110 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and approach the Revenue Divisional Officer, who is also the Sub Divisional Magistrate. The Magistrate may then require the accused to execute a bond promising not to engage in criminal activities. If the bond conditions are violated, the police may arrest the accused.
