Lucknow, March 4 (Reporter) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday highlighted the remarkable transformation in Uttar Pradesh's law and order situation and said there was a time when the mafia held sway, chasing people while the police retreated and even saluted them. Participating in the budget debate in the state assembly, the CM said, "However, the state's image has significantly changed, earning respect from people across the country and the world. UP, once avoided by investors, has now emerged as the nation's top investment destination." Citing NCRB data, he detailed the substantial decline in crime rates between 2016 and 2024. "There has been a reduction of 77.43 percent in the case of loot, robbery cases dropped by 84.41 percent, murder cases by 41.01 percent, violence and arson by 66.40 percent, housebreaking by 5.12 percent and kidnappings for ransom by 54.72 percent," he said. Yogi emphasised that the legacy of past governments, which allowed lawlessness to thrive, has been dismantled. "The 'One District, One Mafia' era is now a thing of the past, replaced by a secure and stable environment built through eight years of consistent efforts," he said. He attributed this success to comprehensive police reforms, which included enhancing facilities, improving training, adopting technology, ensuring transparency, fostering public communication and modernising policing practices. He recalled the previous state of affairs when criminals operated fearlessly and even High Court judges were not spared from mafia intimidation. "In contrast, today, those same mafias cower before the law," he said. The CM said that while the administration must project authority, the mafia now fears the system in UP...////...