Thane: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asserted Thursday that Hathras-like incidents will not be tolerated in the state. Uddhav Thackeray warned that those indulging in crime against women would be dealt with severely. Thackeray’s statement comes amid a nationwide outrage over the death Tuesday of a 19-year-old Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. She was gangraped by four men who then tried to strangulate her September 14.
Thackeray was speaking while virtually inaugurating the newly-formed Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate.
“When incidents like the one happened in UP occur, we usually discuss it for a while and then forget. But in Maharashtra, such incidents will not be allowed to happen,” Thackeray stated.
“Hathras-like incidents will never be tolerated in Maharashtra. For that matter, any kind of crime against women, including harassment and eve-teasing, would be dealt with severely. There should be fear of police and they should crush criminal activities in the region,” he added.
The Maharashtra chief minister also told the police personnel present that criminals should always fear the police.
“Policing should be such that even if the personnel are present everywhere, they are not visible, but people feel safe,” Thackeray said.
Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal said the police manual of 1935 has not been revised in the state and a new version is pending approval of the government.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the proposal for the new police commissinerate remained on paper during the previous government and it was brought to reality by the MVA government. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said Rs 25 crore would be allocated for the new commissionerate soon.