UP- Cow slaughter to be punishable under National Security Act
Uttar Pradesh Police has decided that cattle slaughter and smuggling will now be punishable under the National Security Act and the Gangster Act. The order by UP Director General of Police Sulkhan Singh was conveyed to senior police officials. The order also contained a section on "cow vigilantes" and "effective control" of illegal activities committed by them in the name of cow protection.
What does it mean?
The Gangsters Act allows cops to seek remand of an accused for 60-days, compared to 14-days normally. It also lets police keep track of the accused. National Security Act allows detention for three months or more to prevent them from "acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the state". If NSA is invoked, the Centre has to be informed in a week.
Why were such orders passed? A brief background
The move comes after a recent ban by the Centre on cow slaughter, amid rising cases of assault by vigilantes. "These people/organizations should be informed that they do not have a right to act illegally by taking the law into their hands," the order said.
Other directives include better policing, disciplined traffic
In his order, Singh said police shouldn't let known criminals get bail. Cops should be posted outside stations to track visitors of jailed criminals. No cop should be allowed to escort a particular criminal regularly. Police should also be well-dressed and make efforts to ensure disciplined traffic. Cops also have to submit reports within a week in case of passport enquiries or character certificates.
