Crimes against women in TN lower than other states: CM Edappadi Palaniswami

Chief Minister K Palaniswami today said Tamil Nadu had fared better in prevention of crimes against women when compared to other states and credited measures taken by the police for this.

Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2015, the chief minister said a total of 5,847 cases of crimes against women were registered in Tamil Nadu whereas the number was far more in states like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The same year, Uttar Pradesh had recorded nearly 35,600 cases while West Bengal came next with with 33,218, followed by Maharashtra (31,126) and Rajasthan (28,165), he said.

The number of such cases were in excess of 9,000 in states like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, he added.

"Since crime prevention activities are undertaken effectively in Tamil Nadu, crimes against women, when compared to other states, are lesser," he informed the state Assembly.

The chief minister was wrapping up a debate on the grants for his Home (Police and Fire and Rescue Services) department.

Palaniswami said his government was guided by the principles followed by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and therefore accorded top priority for women's safety.

Police are providing adequate security for women at workplaces, educational institutions and crowded areas like commercial establishments, he said.

Reeling out statistics, he said the overall instances of crime, including murder and robbery, have come down in the state due to effective policing.

There was a substantial dip in such instances in the 2011-16 period as compared to 2006-10, when DMK was in power, Palaniswami said.

The police and agencies concerned were closely monitoring the activities of banned outfits, fundamentalist organisations and Naxalites, and taking preventive activities to ensure peace in the state.

"Police are ensuring terror activities don't find a footing in the state," he added.

Meanwhile, responding to pleas from opposition DMK and three allies of AIADMK for granting of parole to A G Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the chief minister recalled having said the matter was under the government's consideration.

He said he had discussed the matter with Law Minister C V Shanmugam and that legal opinion had also been sought.

"The government will take action keeping in mind the opinion of all," he said.

Earlier, Palaniswami made a slew of announcements for the Police and the Fire and Rescue Services.

These included procuring gadgets and equipment, increasing allowances for the personnel and revising incentives, among other measures.