SHOs ordered to file FIRs on mere complaint
There has been an unprecedented rise in crime in the national Capital. Delhi Police officers attribute this trend to the free and fair registration policy adopted by the Delhi Police Commissioner, Bhim Sain Bassi. It is not that Delhi has become unsafe for living and there are law and order issues involved. There was massive burking in the past and the current police chief just undid the practice of not registering cases. A sense of awareness among the citizens has also given rise to this. The figures might sound alarming as there is an astronomical rise in the number of white collar crime and rape; cases of molestation have gone up as well. Street crime is a cause of concern for the Delhiites as the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) under the head of robbery has shot up alarmingly. However, Delhi Police officers contend that cases are being registered and solved. The criminals who used to roam freely are now being accounted for and being punished too.
Statistics compiled by the Delhi Police indicate that the total number of heinous cases from January-April 2013 have doubled as compared to the last year in the same time frame. Among these, cases of robbery, rape and murder have marginally gone up. Delhi Police has registered 197 cases of murder as compared to 137 in the corresponding period. Cases of molestation of women striking resemblance is in the number of FIRs lodged by Delhi Police on the charges of attempt to murder. It had registered 164 such in the previous and lo and behold it has lodged same number of cases in the current year till April 27.
With a workout percentage of 53.44, robbery cases are one of the least solved crime head under the heinous category. The total number of heinous cases reported in 2013 from January up to April 27 was 1,164 and it has gone up to 2,535 during the same period in the current year. The figure is more than the double of the cases of crime registered during the corresponding period. Street crime, particularly snatching has gone up by 400 per cent with 2,540 cases reported this year as compared to 641 in the previous year. Non-heinous crime including cases of burglary, motor vehicular theft, molestation of women, kidnapping and accidents have considerably shot up. Out of 2,540 cases of snatching reported this year only 721 cases have been solved till now. The same is the case with cases of motor vehicular thefts and burglary. Out of 6,361 motor vehicular thefts reported only 681 have been solved. This year till April 27 last, 2,968 burglary cases were reported while Delhi Police could solve only 450 such cases.
Dacoity is one heinous crime which has shown a whopping rise of 420 per cent. In 2013 only six cases were reported but in 2014, a total of 28 cases have been reported so far by the Delhi Police. Senior police officials said that they are not deterred by the numbers and it is indeed getting better. “It is very encouraging for us that the citizens are coming forward and registering cases of all sorts. It is also helping us in identifying the criminals. This gives us a push force to work better and serve the people. All Station House Officers (SHOs) have been directed to register an FIR the moment a complaint is received. Investigations officers have also been directed to complete investigations in a given time frame,” said senior police official.