Tech & training helping Lucknow cops adapt to new criminal laws
Lucknow cops adapting to new criminal laws through technology & training, replacing colonial-era legislations. Training & tech tools aiding smooth transition.
Cops posted in police stations across Lucknow city are slowly but surely adapting to three new criminal laws through technology and training.
The three new criminal laws, namely Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita replaced replacing colonial-era legislations namely the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973; and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and came into effect from July 1.
For instance, at Hazratganj police station, which is among the city’s busiest ones, police personnel have welcomed the transition and are getting accustomed to it.
They are extensively using the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), apps and even new booklets and brochures prepared to ease the implementation process when required to register first information reports (FIRs) under the new laws.
Only some time back, the police station resembled a classroom where the station house officer (SHO) along with his subordinates sat in front of a projector like a group of obedient students to undergo training to prepare themselves for the transition.
Police personnel have undergone a three-month training to understand and tackle the challenges that the new laws bring. Amit Kumar, a computer operator posted at the Hazratganj police station’s CCTNS section, was seen practising the process which he learnt during his training.
Atul Yadav, a constable at the general diary (GD) section of the same police station, was also seen taking help of the new booklet updated with the three criminal laws to get used to it for registering a case. The police station’s SHO Vikarm Singh had a paper list comparing the IPC with the BNS tugged under the glass on his table.
“They are getting equipped with the changes,” said the SHO, Hazratganj, taking a tour of the departments of the police station, including CCTNS and GD offices where cops are directly linked with registering cases.
“The software that we use in registering FIRs is CCTNS which has undergone a significant change and has been updated with the new criminal laws. A lot of other things have also been added, including the option of Zero FIR. It automatically shows the changes in the sections when we type IPC sections on one of the boxes,” said computer operator Kumar.
“Aggressive training for investigation officers on software has made it little easier to understand the changes,” says Anuj Kumar Tiwari, station officer of Lucknow’s Nigohan police station where city’s first case was registered under BNS on July 1 itself.
“Although new sections are yet to be learned by heart by the constables, things like a list on the table and booklets are helping them a lot,” he added.
According to the SHO, Hazratganj, for the constables at GD section where people first come to give a complaint, the work remains the same from taking complaints at general diary to registering FIRs, the CCTNS has helped a lot in comparing the changes in the sections.
“We’re also getting help from the new booklets which have both the IPC and BNS sections,” said Atul Yadav, a constable at GD section.
According to deputy commissioner of police (DCP), central, Raveena Tyagi, three-month long training both online and offline especially from the constable to the IO level has turned out to be fruitful and so far has helped in smooth transition and it is being overseen by seniors.
“However, there are certainly some challenges which are slowly being dealt with and taken care of by experts,” said Tyagi. “Although the training has helped them a lot, we assume three months will be needed for cops to get accustomed to the changes and come into flow,” the DCP added.
