Patna, Nov. 6: Habitual offenders and historysheeters making a beeline before the public to take a pledge not to repeat the offences they had committed earlier may sound bizarre. But it’s happening in Bihar’s countryside.

Bihar police officials are busy organising special camps in rural areas where habitual offenders and historysheeters are being asked to fill up bonds taking a pledge not to commit any crime again.

The novel exercise to contain crime has been started on the directive of director-general of police (DGP) Abhayanand, who has asked all the superintendents of police of the state to make optimal use of Section 110 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) in checking crime.

Under Section 110, the habitual offenders are asked to take a pledge before the public that they will not to repeat the offences they had earlier been booked for. “If any person is found breaching the trust then he/she may be sent to jail and the bail will be repealed,” a senior police officer said.

The offenders are first asked to pay the fine slapped on them for the breach of trust. “As they have to give sureties of Rs.1 lakh each, they are legally bound to pay the fine or serve the jail term,” the police officer explained. He said the bonds are signed in the presence of magistrates.

Such camps have so far been organised in Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur districts. Darbhanga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vikas Vaibhav said that special camps were organised in areas falling under Bahera, Laheriasarai and Sadar police stations of the district.

Over 500 people turned up at Bahera, 200 at Laheriasarai and about 100 at Sadar camps to lodge their complaints against habitual offenders. “Such camps will be organised in the areas falling under other police stations in near future. The response of the people is enthusiastic,” he said.

People complained about irregularities in implementation of government schemes like Indira Awas Yojna and MNREGA at these camps. Complaints about land grabbing and against land mafia were also received at the camps, the SSP said.

Number trick

Police have adopted a novel way to curb the incidents of crime in Patna and its adjoining areas.

Under a scheme “Patna Police Aapke Saath (Patna Police with you)”, cellphone and telephone numbers of senior police officers as well as police stations will be displayed on the walls of government buildings and academic institutions. The numbers will also be displayed at public places like hospitals, cinemas, bus stands.

and marketing complexes to help common people alert the police whenever they encounter an incident of crime.

In Muzaffarpur, similar camps were organised in areas falling under Kathaiya police station. Muzaffarpur deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Manish Kumar told The Telegraph over phone on Sunday: “Around 300 people had turned up at the camp to complaint against a notorious criminal of the area.”