Tamil Nadu Home Secretary Dheeraj Kumar on Wednesday said the state has seen a decline in crime over the past five years, and urged the public not to be misled by what he described as misinformation being circulated about law and order.
Speaking at the Secretariat in Chennai along with Acting DGP Venkataraman, Additional DGP (Law and Order) Maheshwar Dayal and Chennai Police Commissioner Arun, he cited official figures showing murders falling from 1,597 in 2021 to 1,490 in 2024 and 1,461 in 2025. He also said reported sexual assault cases reduced from 422 in 2021 to 401 last year.
Dheeraj Kumar said the government does not tolerate custodial deaths and that strict action is taken against police personnel found to be involved. He added that cases of sexual violence against women and children are taken up immediately, with swift investigation and stringent action.
He also dismissed claims that the acting DGP arrangement was responsible for law-and-order issues, stating that the acting DGP holds all the powers of the DGP. On the debate over whether narcotics are a key cause of law-and-order problems, he said it need not be framed as a point of argument.
Acting DGP Venkataraman said increased awareness has encouraged children affected under the POCSO law to come forward with complaints, unlike a decade ago. He added that cases are registered under the SC/ST Act when caste names are used, and said details in the Thoothukudi student sexual assault case could not be discussed due to the ongoing investigation. He also said police are monitoring caste-related clashes, murders and social media posts that circulate videos with a caste backdrop in southern districts.
