There is no rise in dacoities, robberies: Patil

Mumbai, July 20 (UNI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil today told the Legislative Council that there has been no increase in dacoities, robberies, or house-breaking incidents in the state.

In fact, the police have vastly improved in the detection of such cases, he said.

Making a statement on a calling attention notice given by Govindrao Adilk, Sanjay Dutt (Cong) and others, Mr Patil said 78 per cent cases have been detected and 2325 persons were arrested. Around 40 per cent of the looted properties have been recovered, he said.

He said MCOCA will be applied against the dacoits and added that police are allowed to fire at criminals for self defence as well as in encounters.

He said there is a need of 55,000 constables and 11,000 will be recruited after the monsoon.

The Deputy Chief Minister informed that at present, the capacity in jails was for 27,000 inmates but there are 42,000 jail inmates.

He said the government is considering to form a sea coast police commissionarate.

UNI