Latest news with #Goonda
Hindustan Times
05-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
23 accused ‘barred' from Ghaziabad under Goonda Act for 6 months
Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Wednesday identified 23 people with criminal records and 'debarred them' from the district for six months in a rather unusual manner, with beating of dhols and public announcements about them. The police said the 23 people were declared 'Goonda' under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh (Control of Goondas) Act, 1970, after magisterial orders. Under the Act, a person deemed 'goonda' may be ordered to remove themselves for up to two years from an area by the district magistrate. This can be done even if they haven't been formally charged, according to the law. But the Ghaziabad police picked up cues from the traditional practice of beating drums and 'munadi' (public announcements) while leading out the accused people from their homes to the borders of the district. 'The police made a proper announcement through the public address system about the accused persons so that the public becomes aware and a clout of such a person gets broken. Thereafter, with the use of drums and dhols, a small procession was taken out, which led the suspect from their homes to the main roads. The idea was to make the public aware and demolish the clout and fear of the suspect,' said additional police commissioner Alok Priyadarshi. The suspects, police said, have a criminal history of their involvement in different crimes like robberies, arson, rioting, causing grievous hurt, attempt to murder, cow-slaughtering, voluntarily causing hurt, possession of illegal weapons, thefts, criminal conspiracy, and issuing threats, among others. The suspects included those from the city, rural, and trans-Hindon zones. Till now, executive orders were passed for debarring such accused persons from the district, but the public was not aware about their activities, said the additional CP. 'In many cases, such persons would often come back to stay in the district, and it took a lot of effort to trace them again. Now, with the beating of drums and announcements in society, the public is made fully aware of such persons and their criminal record. Through announcements, the public has been requested to inform the police in case debarred persons are seen again during the period of six months. The police will completely maintain secrecy of the identity of informants,' he added. Those debarred on Wednesday included accused persons staying under the jurisdiction of police stations areas of Loni, Crossings Republik, Tronica City, Tila Morh, Shalimar Garden, Nandgram, Modinagar, Wave City and Kaushambi.
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Repeat sex offenders face GPS monitoring
The user would have to enable GPS so the police may locate them. PHOTO: REUTERS The Punjab government has announced a new initiative to electronically monitor habitual sex offenders through GPS-enabled ankle devices. The system, introduced by the Crime Control Department (CCD), will initially be implemented for repeat offenders convicted in rape and sodomy cases, with plans to expand the programme to include individuals involved in other serious crimes. According to CCD officials, offenders with two or more convictions will be fitted with tamper-proof electronic bands that send real-time location updates every hour to a central control room. If an offender attempts to leave designated areas without permission or tampers with the device, authorities will be notified immediately. "These electronic restraints will physically restrict offenders while allowing us to track their movements 24/7," a CCD spokesperson told The Express Tribune. The first deployment of 30 devices is scheduled to take place in Lahore this week, with an additional 100 monitors to be distributed across the province in the coming phase. The bands may only be removed after an offender has demonstrated consistent behavioural improvement over a monitored period. This initiative is part of a broader electronic surveillance strategy approved by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal. The programme includes the procurement of 1,500 GPS trackers for suspects on the Fourth Schedule and repeat offenders under the supervision of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), CCD, and parole authorities. A few days earlier, Secretary Mengal chaired a high-level meeting at his office where the import of more than 1,500 GPS monitoring bands was approved. Habitual criminals The provincial home department has also drafted 'The Punjab Control of Goondas Act, 2025' to curb the activities of habitual criminals, enhance public safety and deter anti-social behaviour. The draft provides a legal framework for identifying, monitoring, and restraining elements that pose a threat to public order. It provides the legal definition of Goonda as "a person habitually involved in disorderly conduct, criminal activity, or anti-social behaviour that endangers peace or creates public nuisance". The District Intelligence Committees (DICs) will be empowered to declare an individual a 'Goonda' on the basis of credible reports from police officers, assistant commissioners, intelligence agencies or written complaints. The grounds for the declaration include involvement in drug trafficking, gambling, extortion, cybercrimes, harassment, organised criminal activity, use of forged documents, display of weapons, running a brothel, impersonation of public officials and other listed offences. Upon the declaration, the DIC may impose various restrictions on the targeted individuals, including, requiring a bond for good behaviour in future, placement on no-fly list, blocking CNIC and passport, confiscation of digital devices and data and freezing of bank accounts. The proposed requirements include community service and restriction upon visiting sensitive public places. The law allows for technical surveillance, including digital monitoring and biometric data collection, to ensure compliance and detect criminal conduct.
