SP Nisha James to form Special team to curb Illegal Activities including Sand Extraction

SP Nisha James to form Special team to curb Illegal Activities including Sand Extraction

Udupi: The newly assigned Udupi District police superintendent Nisha James conducted her first weekly phone-in programme on Friday, March 1. The SP registered as many as 23 complaints during the phone-in programme.

Majority of the complaints were against illegal sand extraction and illegal Matka. SP Nisha James received four calls only on illegal sand extraction, while another two calls were on Matka activities. Most of the complaints were from Byndoor and Gangolli Police station limits.

Later speaking to media persons SP Nisha James said, “To curb the illegal sand extraction, Matka and other illegal activities we will form a special team comprising of the district level police officers”.

She further said, “Under the new beat system the Beat police should work honestly to stop illegal activities in their area. The Beat police have a great responsibility, they must report to such illegal activities to the senior officials immediately. If the beat police fail to control the illegal activities then the local PSI should take care of it. If the beat police and PSI’s failed to control such activities and if the complaints are repeated then the special team comprising of the district level police officers will personally handle the issues and action will be taken against the police officers too,” said.

She also said, “As per the new act in relation with illegal sand extraction the police can raid the place directly but we don’t have the right to registered an FIR against them. The police can stop the illegal sand extraction, the vehicles transporting illegal sand and inform the Mines and Geology department. The mines and geology department officials will file the report to the court and later as per the court direction we can register the FIR. Co-operation between the Mines and Geology department is must in controlling the illegal sand extraction,” she said.

A caller from Billadi complained that the newly appointed Billadi Gram panchayat president is travelling in a red Maruti Suzuki car bearing registration number KA20, MB 4856. The car has been registered in the name of Santhosh Shetty but the Gram panchayat president has changed its number plate and is involved in illegal activities using that car. The complainant urged the SP to take action against him under the motor vehicles act.

Responding to the complaint SP Nisha said, “A woman from the same panchayat has already filed a complaint to me over the phone yesterday. We are writing a letter to the RTO to take appropriate action against the car owner.”

A caller from Beedinagudde complained that college students were smoking in public places during the noontime at Beedinagudde. If anyone questions them, they start fighting. He asked the department to take action against the shop selling cigarettes and the students.

Responding to the call SP Nisha James assured and said, “We will conduct a raid on such shops located in the vicinity of schools and book those found smoking in public places. She instructed to book cases under various Sections of the COTPA Act (Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Prohibitions of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution).”

The police chief also received complaints of parking problems, problems of senior citizens and others.

After the previous phone-in programme, 5 Matka cases were registered and 5 persons arrested. 4 gambling cases were registered and 24 arrested. Three arrested in one illegal liquor sale case. 3 persons were arrested in an NDPS case. 109 cases were registered under COTPA, 35 for drunk driving, 520 for shrill horns, 132 cases for using mobiles while riding/driving, 3249 cases for riding without helmets, 140 cases for over speed and 7001 cases for other crimes under the Motor Vehicles Act.

DySP Udupi T R Jaishanker, CPI Byndoor Parameshwar Gunaga, CPI Kundapur Manjappa, Traffice PSI Nithyananda Gowda, DCIB PSI Kiran, CPI Karkala Halamoorthy Rao, PSI Karkala Town Nanja Naik, SEN PSI Seetharam, Prakash were present.