Sunday, April 10 2005 12:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: More than a month after imposition of President's rule, is Bihar ready to shed the tag of being a lawless State? Officials paint an optimistic picture but political parties are divided.

"There is a 'substantial' improvement in the crime situation in the State during the past one month. You can ask any common man about it," Director General of Police (DGP) Narayan Mishra told sources in Patna today (Apr 10, 2005).

Chief Secretary K A H Subramaniam, who is also special advisor to Governor Buta Singh, agrees with the DGP saying arrest and surrender of over 15,000 criminals out of 20,000 absconding is a proof to it.

Former DGP R R Prasad, who had gone on record to say that, "I am a caged warrior" was more forthcoming. "Earlier the police were demoralised because of political interferences in favour of anti-socials, now it is the criminals who are on the run."

But the political opinion is divided on the issue. While Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) and the State Congress are patting the President's rule for a lowering of the crime rate, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) dubs the claim as "hollow".

The BJP is also highly sceptical of the results of the administration's anti-crime drive.