Chandigarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lauded Chandigarh Police, saying it performed duties in an exemplary manner and set a benchmark across the country.

Since 1966, Chandigarh Police has worked tirelessly to safeguard the city, effectively writing a golden chapter in the history of policing across the nation, he said.

"I believe that over these 60 years, Chandigarh as the heart of the northern region has made a successful effort to contribute to the security of all of India," he said.

Shah was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 60th Raising Day event of Chandigarh Police and presenting the President's Colour to the force.

Lauding Chandigarh police, Shah said that with a force of around 6,000 personnel, various wings, including the Crime Wing, Operation Cell, Security Wing, Traffic Police and PCR, have performed their duties in an exemplary manner and set a benchmark across the country.

He also said the 'President's Colour' to the force serves as a tribute to six decades of service, dedication, and commitment.

Shah said as we commit ourselves to making India drug-free, "I am confident that if any unit in the country becomes drug-free first, it will be Chandigarh."

When the period of terrorism began, Chandigarh too was not left untouched by its impact. During those difficult times, Chandigarh Police demonstrated extraordinary valour and courage, said Shah.

Through its dedicated service and good governance, it not only worked to protect Chandigarh but also the rest of India from terrorism, he said.

Referring to the new criminal laws, Shah said a total of 8,206 FIRs have been registered from August 4, 2024, until today. "Out of these, Chandigarh Police filed online charge sheets in 7,590 cases, which is a national record," he said.

With an increase in the conviction rate, Chandigarh Police managed to secure punishments in 85 per cent of cases, he said.

"I believe this serves as an ideal for the country and all its police units ”that if we implement the new judicial codes effectively, we can ensure punishment for 85 per cent of criminals. Chandigarh has proven this by doing it," he noted.

He further said that because of the old laws, police services were defamed by the 'jumla' – 'tareekh pe tareekh', adding that for many years, and sometimes for generations, justice was not served.

"Today, I want to tell you that the 85 per cent conviction rate achieved by Chandigarh has an average punishment timeline of just 140 days. It means completing the entire judicial process in less than six months and putting the accused behind bars," he said.

Shah said that the Centre would give more AI-equipped 2,152 CCTV cameras to Chandigarh. "With this, Chandigarh will become even safer, and we will be able to firmly ensure the safety of the citizens," he said.

On the ongoing fight against the drug menace, Shah said, "By freeing our youth, our younger generation from the menace of drugs, let us move forward in the direction of Viksit Bharat."

Policing is such a subject that often gets overshadowed by issues such as terrorism, drugs, cybercrime and law and order, he said. However, the responsibility of the police also includes making public services easily accessible to citizens, he said.

He said Chandigarh Police has ensured that whether a citizen needs to obtain a passport, secure a police clearance certificate or a no-objection certificate for employment, or avail of any other service, there is no need for them to visit a police station.

He said Chandigarh, which is a Union Territory, has one of the highest vehicle densities in the country.

"Before and after becoming the Union home minister, I have visited Chandigarh several times, with and without official protocol, but I have never witnessed a traffic jam here," he said.

The response time of the Quick Response Team here is 10 minutes, while the police response time is just four minutes, he said.

Paying homage to all the martyrs of Chandigarh Police, Shah said laying down one's life in the line of duty making the ultimate sacrifice is a matter of immense pride for a soldier and also for the organisation to which they belong, he said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.