Patna, July 26: Stung by a sudden burst in incidents of crime, chief minister Nitish Kumar today warned the police of stern action for their lapses.

“The government will not tolerate any lapses on the part of police officials in the maintenance of law and order in the state,” he said.

At a high level meeting to review law and order in the state, Nitish asked director-general of police Neel Mani to monitor crime at the police station level so that stringent action could be taken against offenders.

He directed Neel Mani to intensify surveillance on activities of anti-socials. “Maintain vigil at all police stations across the state and take action against the outlaws,” he told the police officials present at the meeting.

Nitish directed the state police chief to analyse criminal activities at the police station level to fix accountability of the officers concerned. “Regular monitoring by senior police officials is required to check crime,” he said. “The real situation can be analysed only through regular monitoring.”

He made it clear that officers under whose jurisdiction criminal activities were found to be spiralling would be penalised. “Officials of thanas found to be less alert would be punished,” the chief minister said.

Nitish asked Neel Mani to access the performance appraisal reports of sub-inspectors, station house officers, sub-divisional police officers and other police officials on a regular basis. “Initiate suitable action against the erring police officials of districts on the basis of reports of the respective DIGs and IGs,” he said.

The chief minister felt the need to maintain strict vigil on the porous international border of the state. “Be in touch with police personnel posted in bordering areas and get reports on trans-border activities,” he told the director-general.

Nitish asked the officials of the home department and the police headquarters to accelerate the process of speedy trial against criminals. He also directed the senior officials to ensure production of witnesses in the courts on scheduled dates. “Update the database of police personnel and the medical officers who are prosecution witnesses in the cases,” the chief minister said.

Nitish asked all superintendents of police to personally look into complaints regarding allotment of houses to the poor under the Indira Awas Yojana. “The middlemen who are alleged to have siphoned off public funds meant for the poor should not be spared,” he said.

He told the superintendents of police to analyse such complaints at the police station level and initiate action against offenders.

Chief secretary Anup Mukerji, development commissioner K.C. Saha and home secretary Amir Subhani were among those present at the meeting.