PMO irked over slow pace of crime tracking scheme

The inability of several states to digitise and update data under the Crime and Criminal Tracking and Networks (CCTNS) amid rising sexual offences across the country has irked the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has directed all states, especially union territories, to share their data with the national database in order to strengthen the system.

The Union home ministry has been asked to coordinate with all states and union territories, including the newly created Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, to ensure faster implementation of CCTNS.

The concern by the PMO is all the more significant in the aftermath of the nationwide furore which the sensational kidnapping and rape case of a 26year-old veterinarian on the outskirts of Hyderabad on November 26, 2019, had created. The four accused in the case were later killed in an alleged exchange of fire, as claimed by the police, during the wee hours of December 6, 2019.

The facility of Investigating Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) portal is provided to all states to help investigate sexual offences. However, as it is based on CCTNS, the PMO has urged the states to transfer all their old data and records to it as soon as possible.

States of Bihar and Rajasthan have especially been asked to expedite the process by March 2020.

Highly placed sources informed that the PMO has pointed out the laggard attitude of these two states towards digitising their old records, during a high-level meeting held recently.

ITSSO is helpful in tracking pending cases in police stations across the country, and for this regular upgrading of data on CCTNS is essential, sources added.

ITSSO also helps states in tracking the status of ongoing investigations in grave sexual offences.

The PMO is thus keen that digitising the records is done on priority. The states have also been directed to share their criminal data with the national database in order to strengthen CCTNS.

In fact, the home ministry had recently highlighted the significance of updating CCTNS data.