LUCKNOW: Mukul Goel, a 1987 batch IPS officer, took charge as UP’s director general of police (DGP) on Friday. In his first interaction with the media, Goel stressed on better police-people relationship, stating crime control will be easier and effective if the two work in tandem. He said use of technology was essential to cut time in cracking cases, which in turn leads to better evidence gathering.
Officers of any rank should directly interact with people as a confidence-building exercise and this holds the key to better policing, he said. “Petty crime must not be overlooked as it might later spiral into a bigger issue,” he said, while advising officers to hit the ground and not stay put in their offices. “Maintaining law and order is a challenge, but I have faith in my team,” said the top cop.
Replying to a query on assuming charge on the anniversary of the Bikru massacre in which eight cops were killed, Goel said, “If local cops would have controlled the situation long back, the carnage could have been avoided. It’s important to take up petty crime seriously.”
Talking about illegal religious conversions, the DGP said, the innocent will not be harassed. Goel also added if police remain vigilant, there would be no rerun of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. “The safety and security of people is the responsibility of the police,” he said. On the Aligarh hooch tragedy, the DGP vowed swift conviction of the guilty.
Earlier, Goel offered prayers at the Hanuman Setu temple with his family and then met chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He was given a guard of honour at police officers’ mess on Shahnajaf Road. The officer’s cavalcade then marched to the DGP headquarters, where he took charge from ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar.
