Lucknow, Aug 12 - Concerned over the unabated rise in crime across Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati Wednesday asked senior police officers to bring the law and order situation under control or face action.

'Laxity of any kind in handling crime would not be tolerated at any cost. If there is no improvement in the crime control, it clearly reflects negligence and laxity on the part of police,' she told the police officials at a day-long meeting held at her official residence here.

Fixing responsibility, she said: 'Henceforth district police chiefs and deputy inspector generals (DIGs) would be directly held responsible for any spurt in crime under their respective jurisdictions.'

An official spokesman told mediapersons late evening, 'The chief minister took strong exception against the tendency of senior officers to pass the buck to their subordinates.'

She also took serious note of the 'increasing clout of anti-social element and outlaws in all walks of life' and called for stern action against them.