New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday said that a total of 2,756 people accused of rape and other serious crimes against women and children have been punished in a period of over three months, news agency PTI reported.
As per the report, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi, in an official statement said that from March 25 to July 16 this year, as many as 328 people have been awarded life imprisonment, 594 sentence of more than 10 years and 1,834 jail term of less than 10 years.
The Additional Director General of Police (Prosecution) Ashutosh Pandey said that a total of 892 people were punished by the POCSO courts, out of which 145 were sentenced to life imprisonment, 291 to 10 years or more, and 456 awarded jail term of less than 10 years.
Awasthi further added that on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, continuous efforts are being made by the Prosecution Department in order to provide the harshest punishment to culprits.
Earlier this year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed that at least one women protection home and one women shelter should be set up in each divisional headquarter of the state on priority. He also instructed officials concerned to make necessary arrangements for boosting the assistance amount for marriage of a poor woman from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
The chief minister, according to an official statement, issued the instructions during presentation of action plans on social security by eight departments. The presentations were made before the Cabinet here. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is working with dedication for empowerment of women and nurturing children, the Chief Minister said.