Chandigarh Police To Spread Awareness On New Criminal Laws At Maha Kumbh 2025

Chandigarh DGP S S Yadav said efforts will be made in future to organise awareness campaigns on the laws at large congregations across several states.

New Delhi:Inspired by home minister Amit Shah's applause of becoming the first Union Territory to implement the three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam — Chandigarh DGP S S Yadav on Sunday said his department is likely to launch a massive awareness drive about these laws in the forthcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, scheduled for 2025 in Uttar Pradesh.

"Kumbh Mela is a holy fair of the sub-continent and we are planning to launch an awareness drive on the simulation of the implementation of the three new criminal laws in policing," Yadav said while interacting with a team of visiting journalists from New Delhi.

The Chandigarh police are in touch with their UP counterpart for preparations of the awareness drive at the Maha Kumbh which registers a huge footfall. An estimated 40 crore devotees are expected to throng Prayagraj which, according to Yadav, will be a good opportunity to create awareness about the laws. The Maha Kumbh will take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025.

The DGP, however, said efforts will be made not only at the Kumbh Mela but also at other large events to oragnise awareness camps about the three laws. "We are in touch with the relevant police forces," he said.

It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 3, dedicated the three new criminal laws to the nation at Chandigarh in the presence of Shah.

Both Modi and Shah also visited an exhibition simulating the implementation of the new laws in the police investigation and its benefits in criminal jurisprudence. They asked Chandigarh Police not to dismantle it immediately and to keep the exhibition open to the public for a while.

"We have been asked to continue the exhibition for seven more days," another official said.

Chandigarh became the first UT to achieve a 100 per cent implementation of the three laws. The exhibition on the new criminal laws was set up at a temporary enclosure in Chandigarh, spanning over 1,00,000 square feet, and featured eight setups where the processes involved in crime investigations are enacted through skits. These skits offer visitors an understanding of the changes following the implementation of the laws.

The massive structure also includes several displays explaining the new laws, procedures, and applications used by the police. The concept of using skits and displays to simplify police procedures for the public was developed under the supervision of Shah.

"The home minister personally reviewed at least three presentations on the concept and execution of the setup before the project was finalised," the official said.

Senior superintendent of police, Chandigarh, Kanwardeep Kaur, was tasked with giving a walkthrough of the exhibition, during which she explained how police are implementing the changes in the UT.

The new laws came into effect on July 1, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.

According to officials, around 250 to 300 people visit the exhibition every day at PEC College. "We are really getting good responses from the people here to know about the new laws," the official said.