CHENNAI: At the receiving end after the alleged custodial death in Sivaganga, Additional Chief Secretary to the Home Department Dheeraj Kumar said on Thursday that the State government has zero tolerance for custodial deaths.
Addressing reporters at the Secretariat along with interim police chief DGP G Venkataraman, Chennai police Commissioner A Arun, and ADGP Maheshwar Dayal, he said the police department had been instructed on how to deal with people who visit police stations.
Rejecting allegations regarding custodial deaths, Kumar reiterated that the government follows a transparent approach and ensures fair inquiries whenever such incidents occur.
Seeking to counter the allegation that the DMK regime was soft on crime, the official added that major crime cases have declined since 2021.
According to official data, murder cases fell to 1461 in 2025 from 1,597 in 2021, and rape cases declined to 401 from 422. Overall crime numbers have come down, and the law-and-order situation in the State remains under control, he added.
Speaking about cases registered under the Pocso Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, DGP Venkataraman said the department has been conducting awareness programmes along with School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare departments.
"We should not misinterpret the increase in cases under the Pocso and SC/ST Acts. Whenever complaints are received, the police act swiftly. Except for two cases, all other Pocso cases in the past five years have been solved," the DGP said.
On drug-related crimes, the Home Secretary said the police have launched extensive awareness campaigns, including anti-drug clubs, to highlight the dangers of drug abuse.
He added that cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have increased to about 11,000, compared to 6,800 cases in 2021, reflecting intensified enforcement against drug trafficking.
Responding to a query about the appointment of a separate DGP (Law and Order), Dheeraj Kumar said the current DGP holds all the necessary powers to take action related to law and order in the State.