NE states gear up for three new criminal laws; over 3,500 cops given training

Over 3,500 police personnel in seven northeastern states have received training while hundreds more security officers of different ranks would be trained on the execution of the three new criminal laws coming into force from July 1.

The new criminal laws, namely Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, from July 1.

Officials said that all the state governments in the northeastern have taken numerous steps to ensure the smooth implementation of the three new criminal laws.

Assam DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh said that around 200 officers of Assam Police have already received training on criminal forensic science while over 500 officers would be trained in the next few months.

Addressing a workshop, Additional Director General of Police, CID, Munna Prasad Gupta, asserted that major changes have been made in the three criminal laws with more focus on the rights of the victim, especially for women and children.

There will be more use of technology in the judicial system under the new setup, Gupta said, adding that the three new laws will focus on speedy justice rather than punishment.

He also said that these laws would make the justice system hassle-free, wherein digital evidence will be at par with physical evidence.

A similar workshop was organised in Agartala by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in association with the Tripura State Legal Services Authority, Tripura Judicial Academy, National Law University, and the Government Law College.

Addressing the workshop, Tripura Advocate General Siddhartha Shankar Dey said the country will finally have its own criminal laws after 75 years of Independence, during the ‘Amrit Kaal’.

Referring to the ‘Nirbhaya’ gangrape and murder case of 2012, he said it was an eye-opener for our legal system to understand the necessity of making our own laws to build up a sound justice delivery system.

Tripura DGP (Intelligence) Anurag said the facility of filing 'Zero FIR' is being provided under the ambit of the new laws, which allows the citizens to file an FIR from anywhere through e-mail.

Over 800 police officers and security personnel of different ranks in eight districts of Tripura have been provided training on the three new criminal laws.

In Mizoram, officials said that around 1,500 police personnel from 11 districts have been trained so far.

Besides 93 per cent of the police staff and supervisory officers, training has also been given to 1,965 persons comprising church leaders, students, and functionaries of various NGOs.

The state government has constituted five new committees to deal with the legal issues, technology upgradation, training, digital investigation, and financial implications.

“These committees studied the various needs and requirements and made suggestions and recommendations based on these studies to ensure the successful implementation of the new laws,” an official said.

In Meghalaya, the state's Law Department has organised several sensitisation programmes in different districts to make the police and other law enforcement officers familiar with the three new laws.

In Manipur, an awareness-cum-sensitisation campaign on the three new laws was organised by Manipur University. The campaign aims to create awareness among the masses about the new laws. 

Over 500 police officers have been trained in Manipur so far.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Secretary Dharmendra chaired a meeting of the State Level Steering Committee (SLSC) last week on the implementation of the three new criminal laws.

He said the state police and the Law Department are dedicatedly working to implement the new laws from July 1.