Patna: In a proactive move to enhance security across Bihar, the state police have launched a rigorous crackdown against the top 10, top 20, and reward-wielding notorious criminals under “Mission Security.” 724 criminals have been identified throughout the state, with over 50% of the notorious offenders already apprehended. A joint operation is underway to capture the remaining culprits, led by the Special Task Force (STF) and district police teams.
According to ADG Jitendra Singh Gangwar, “Mission Security” aimed to achieve an 80% arrest rate of notorious criminals by January 2024. The identification process, including the top 10, top 20, and other notorious criminals, commenced in June 2023. This initiative has led to the identification of 724 criminals across Bihar.
As of January 21, 2024, the campaign has resulted in the arrest of 395 criminals. While some surrendered out of fear, 49 were apprehended by the STF, 266 by district police, and 19 by a joint team of district police and STF. Additionally, 60 criminals surrendered in court due to fear. Unfortunately, one offender passed away during verification. These arrests account for 54.5% of the targeted 80% apprehension goal, with further actions planned to meet the target.
Moreover, the reward amount for information leading to arrests has been increased significantly. The DGP can now announce rewards of up to Rs. 3 lakhs, while ADG can announce rewards of up to Rs. 1 lakh. SPs can announce rewards up to Rs. 25,000, and IGs and DIGs can announce rewards up to Rs. 50,000.
The Bihar Police will also reward individuals assisting helpline number 14432.
Under Operation Smile, a total of 11,609 mobile phones were recovered by December 2023, which were returned to their rightful owners. Patna district recorded the highest recovery of 1148 mobile phones, followed by Rail Patna with 1129 recoveries.
