APCOCA to be revived

Hyderabad, Apr 24 (UNI) Amid criticism over the spurt in faction killings in Anantapur district, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to bring back the controversial Andhra Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act (APCOCA) after three years and impose Punitive Tax.

Briefing newsmen after the review meeting with police officials in the wake of recent killings in Anantapur and the situation in entire Rayalaseema region, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy said the Act lapsed after three years. ''Now we want to bring back the Act through an Ordinance as the Assembly Session is not on,'' he added.

Mr Reddy said the police put in lot of efforts to curb faction violence in Rayalaseema. In Cuddapah and Kurnool districts factionalism was under control. Only in Anantapur, two incidents took place recently.

Mr Reddy said the state government has decided to set up Special Court for speedy trials of such cases.

He said the state government was also contemplating to impose Punitive Tax on faction groups and to ''use'' the Preventive Detention (PD) Act.

''The police suspect a nexus between the underground cadre of Reorganisation Committee (ROC) and Red Star, faction groups in Anantapur and the political parties in the recent murders in Anantapur'', he pointed out.

The Home Minister said political parties should expel faction leaders from their parties.

Mr Reddy said that it was also decided that the Director-General of Police (DGP) would tour Rayalaseema region everymonth to monitor the law and order situation. The review meeting also discussed the aspect of providing security to factionalists.

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