Bhubaneswar: Attacks on tehsilders at Tangi, Khurda and Chilika have forced the government to sit up and order crack down on criminal elements and mafia involved in illegal stone quarry, sand lifting and timber theft.
Director general of police (DGP) R.P. Sharma on Tuesday asked police to launch a month-long 'special drive' to arrest all 'wanted criminals'.
He also ordered a crack down on the mafia and protection to revenue and other government officials.
The move is aimed at curbing illegal stone quarry, ilsand lifting and timber theft.
Sharma's direction comes on following reports of the mafia launching murderous attacks on tehsildars, who tried to halt illegal activities.
There was pressure on the police to act on criminals after they had tried to crush the tehsilders of Tangi and Khurda and the additional tehsilder of Chilika under a JCB machine last week.
They were attacked while they were on their way to raid seven illegal stone mines in Patrapada.
Sharma has asked the police to take steps for immediate execution of non-bailable warrants and expediting closure of cases involving criminals.
"In appropriate cases criminals should be detained under NSA," said DG.
Sharma also asked all district police chiefs to maintain a dossier of active criminals and take steps to book them under various preventive sections of law 107 and 110 CrPC.
Responding to criticism for failure to gather prior information regarding the attack on the official residence of the private secretary to the chief minister, V.K. Pandian, the DG asked the cops to gear up their intelligence channels.