‘Sensitise cops to provisions of law, changes’

Justice N Kirubakaran on recording the submission made by the police regarding his queries on the sale of gutkha and other such banned tobacco products near schools, said it has been stated that 8702 shops located in the vicinity of schools were raided and 8035 persons were arrested in the raids. However, it has been noted that the FIR has been registered only under bailable sections. Thus, 8035 persons said to have been arrested is only an eyewash.

Noting that this court is unable to understand as to why different police stations use different sections for registering the FIR with regard to the same offence of selling tobacco products to the children as well as smuggling and storing of ganja and banned tobacco products like hans, mawa, panmasala and gutka, the judge said, if the order of this court is the basis for action on the part of the police, the higher authorities should have sensitised the issue in these types of cases. 

Pointing out that even in the absence of any direction, the police should have taken cognisance of the public domain and suo motu should have acted and conducted enquiry and arrested the culprits, the judge said the police should be more vigilant over every institution and conduct raids, whenever necessity arises. Visible policing would prevent this kind of commission of offences and it would also save the students from falling prey to the dangerous consequences of tobacco chewing or smoking ganja, the judge added.

Justice Kirubakaran on recording the submission of the police that the prohibited goods entered TN from bordering states in a concealed manner through lorries and public transport, directed the police to effectively monitor the entry points by undertaking frequent raids and maintaining surveillance.

The state has informed the MHC that the training programmes for National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test will start by this month end. A submission to the above effect was made before Justice N Kirubakaran, who had raised various queries about equipping government school students to take up NEET. State Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan answering the queries raised by the Judge on NEET said, the government will identify dynamic teachers in every district to give sufficient training to enable them offer proper coaching to the students to motivate them to participate in all examinations.