Number of rowdies in 'A+' and 'A' categories has reduced by 50 per cent: Tamil Nadu Police

CHENNAI: The number of rowdies in the 'A+' and 'A' categories has come down by 50 per cent due to re-categorisation activities by the state police, according to a statement from the state police headquarters, issued on Sunday.

Rowdies in 'A+' category are considered as 'most notorious anti-social elements'. The rowdy elements keep getting re-classified based on their history sheets.

"After re-categorisation, the police department nominated DARE (Drive Against Rowdy Element) officers at an individual police station level. Individual police officers have been nominated for each notorious/active rowdy and are tasked with monitoring the activities of the assigned rowdy. A rowdy-monitoring team headed by a DSP-rank officer is nominated for each law and order zone (North, Central, West, and South Zones) and the City Commissionerate for targeted monitoring of the identified notorious and active rowdies," the missive said.

The re-categorisation involved upgrading some lesser-category rowdy elements into a higher, more serious category due to the nature of their criminal activities and downgrading some higher-category rowdy elements to a lesser category due to their inactivity or reduced criminal activity. Some of their history sheets were closed due to death or old age.

The number of rowdy elements in the state before re-categorisation was as follows: A+: 889, A: 2,031, B: 5,531, and C: 19,215 (total 27,666). After re-categorisation, the numbers are now: A+: 421, A: 836, B: 6,398, and C: 18,807 (total 26,462). Thus, the numbers under 'A+' and 'A' category rowdies have reduced by more than 50%, the police statement said. This kind of data-based, logical re-categorisation has helped the police focus on the notorious rowdy elements, it added.

Rowdyism in Tamil Nadu is well under control due to the systematic, proactive, and multipronged measures taken by the police, said Davidson Devasirvatham, ADGP (law &order).

From all the rowdies, the state police department has identified 550 notorious ones for focused action. Their activities, pendency of cases, trial progress, rivalry/threats, and more are monitored by the specialised Organised Crime Intelligence Unit (OCIU) whose progress is reviewed by the head of the police force every week.

Similarly, 119 history sheeter rowdies in the state who have 5 or more murder cases against them have been identified for close monitoring.

The state police force is also keeping a close watch over rowdy elements in prisons, their activities inside, and after they are released, using intelligence inputs.

The police have also started a financial investigation against rowdy elements, which was not done earlier. 41 notorious rowdy elements have been identified for conducting this investigation.

The statement also noted that in 2018, there were 2,978 preventive detentions while in 2023, the total detentions were 3,694. In the current year up to June 2024, 2,285 anti-social elements