8,000 Lucknow cops undergoing training on new criminal laws
“While an intra-departmental training drive is being organised for cops, social media is being used to spread public awareness,” said Akash Kulhary, joint commissioner of police (Crime & HQ)/Police Commissionerate, Lucknow.
Come July 1, three newly enacted criminal laws that seek to overhaul India’s criminal justice system will come into effect. As such, Lucknow Police Commissionerate has launched a massive training drive to educate its 8,000-9,000 personnel about the intricacies of the new laws.
“While an intra-departmental training drive is being organised for cops, social media is being used to spread public awareness,” said Akash Kulhary, joint commissioner of police (Crime & HQ)/Police Commissionerate, Lucknow.
Sharing more details, Raveena Tyagi, DCP (Central) and the spokesperson of the Lucknow police, said a thorough training programme was underway that sought to educate over 8,000 cops about the new laws. “Given the large number of police personnel, the training programme is being conducted in both online and offline mode,” she added.
The Union Home Ministry has announced that the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act will be repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) on July 1.
Henceforth, all first information reports (FIRs) of criminal offences will be registered under the BNS. All cases lodged under the BNS will have their prosecution and trial conducted by the timelines established by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Electronic records or legally admissible evidence will be registered under the BSA.
From constables to deputy commissioners of police (DCPs), cops of different hierarchies are being trained as part of the exercise that will continue till the end of June. “While many of our police personnel are being sent to Sitapur for the exercise, social media is also being used to educate zonal officials,” she added.
‘Lucknow Police Ki Pathsala’
The Lucknow police have put their X handle to use to educate about 5,00,000 of their followers about the new laws. As such, they’ve started a video series titled ‘Lucknow Police Ki Pathsala’.
“Using small videos, we’re trying to explain to the public the changed provisions for criminal punishments,” said Tyagi.
“Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, person/s involved in a crime of murder committed based on race, caste, gender or language may be awarded life imprisonment or death penalty and fines,” explains a cop in a video uploaded on the Lucknow police’s X handle on Friday.
“As elections are nearby, only an online awareness drive is taken up for the public. After the elections, physical campaigns and more resources will also be put to use,” the DCP said.
What’s new in the BNS?
“The offence of snatching has been introduced in the BNS. No provision in the IPC specifically dealt with snatching, which led the police to treat such cases as theft or robbery. The act of hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence, has also been made a punishable offence, which entails a punishment of imprisonment of a minimum of seven years and extendable up to ten years,” said Kulhary.
The JCP added a provision has been added that seeks to bring down the rising cases of hit-and-run, which will now be considered a punishable offence.
“Whoever causes the death of a person by doing anything rash or a negligent act and escapes the scene of the incident without informing either a police officer or magistrate shall be punished with imprisonment of either the description of a term that may extend up to ten years and with fine,” he added.