Open House: What steps should the government take to check the rising crime graph?

Insulate police from political interference

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Incidents of snatching, looting, theft, carjacking, etc., have been on the rise for quite a while in the city. In this regard, William Gladstone, the four-time Prime Minister of UK, had rightly said: “It is the duty of the government to make it difficult for people to do wrong.” But this is possible only if we recruit policemen with some basic qualifications, as pointed out by August Vollmer who is described as “the father of modern policing”. Vollmer said: “A policeman is supposed to possess the qualification of a soldier, a lawyer, a diplomat and an educator.” But here in our country, recruitments and promotions in the police department are made for personal allegiance to the ruling party bosses. That is the reason, a police officer in our country is condemned if he enforces the law or dismissed when he does not. The police department should be insulated from the politicians.

Naresh Johar

QUESTION

Cable TV and telephone wires, hanging precariously from poles and trees, continue to be a nuisance across the city, as reported by Amritsar Tribune in its ongoing series ‘Knotty Affair’. What steps can be taken to address the issue?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (June 29).

Political will to punish offenders missing

In all democracies, the duties of legislature, executive and judiciary are well defined. But in a mature democracy, the ruling regime, after passing some acts of law, plays the role of the executive to get the same acts implemented in the country/nation. Why do local councillors not go door to door in our country to ensure that necessary local taxes like property tax, shop and establishment tax, water and sewerage bill, etc., have been paid? Similarly, if any police party raids the premises of an establishment for large-scale illegal activities, why does a state home minister not accompany the police? This Sunday, The Tribune carried a story titled: “UK PM Sunak joins raid on illegal migrants, 105 arrested”, with the photograph of the UK PM. This act can not only be a morale booster for the police force but also deter wrongdoers. This is the way to put a full stop to the ever increasing crime rate in the state.

Harsh Johar

Set up ICCC at Police commissioner’s office

Under a Smart City project, 1,115 CCTV cameras are to be installed in Amritsar to solve traffic problems in the city. Through the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) to be set up at Municipal Corporation office at Ranjeet Avenue, e-challans would be issued to traffic rule violators on their mobile numbers. However, why is the ICCC being installed at the MCA office instead of the office of the Commissioner of Police (CP)? The traffic department comes under the direct control of the CP. Above all, with cameras installed in all vulnerable points of the city, crimes like snatching, looting, theft, carjacking, etc., could be easily controlled. Hence, if the ICCC is installed at CP’s office under the surveillance of a senior, local police officer, prompt and immediate action is possible in the case of above said crimes. With the installation of CCTV cameras as proposed, a full stop is possible on the rising crime rate in the holy city.

Nityanshi Chopra

Sensitive areas need more security cover

As residents, we are relieved when the Amritsar police claims to bust a notorious gang indulging in snatching and other crimes, hoping that they are there to tackle these serious crimes in the city. The truth, however, is that the guardians of citizens have failed to check these crimes effectively. They do not have a suitable strategy to tackle this problem being faced by tourists and denizens of the holy city. Continuing to act against the notorious gangs, the police will have to show more vigilance to deter these and related crimes. Cops should be especially deployed in vulnerable locations with suitable electronic gadgets to warn their comrades about the description of culprits and their getaway vehicles, etc. They should be capable of promptly chasing the snatchers by using the help of a specially-trained squad for this purpose. To some extent, we must also share the blame for our indifference towards the problem. It has been often observed that we do not help a victim or try to caution the passers-by and the culprits are able to get away scot free. The connivance of police officials with the gangsters also needs to be checked to tackle this problem. Lastly, the administration should reward honest policemen for their acts of bravery and vigilance, and conversely the negligent ones should be reprimanded or even demoted. This dual policy of incentives and disincentives can be really effective in handling the rapidly deteriorating situation.

LJ Singh

Tackle unemployment to handle situation

In order to check the rising crime graph relating to snatching, looting, theft, carjacking, etc., the government needs to increase the security cover at vulnerable sections of the city by deploying honest policemen for enhance vigilance against the offenders. Secondly, CCTV cameras need to be installed at all sensitive areas of the city where the crime rates have been reported to be high. Thirdly, the help of detective agents needs to be taken to nab culprits. Fourthly, there is also an urgent need to create awareness among residents to take steps to avoid any incidents of crime with themselves or helping others when they are targeted. As the last step, there must be ample job opportunities for the youth, the lack of which has led to this situation.

Sanjay Chawla

Introduce community policing practices

The government needs to take comprehensive measures to check the rising crime graph in the city. The strengthening of law enforcement is of paramount importance, which involves increasing the number police personnel, providing regular training and improving the infrastructure and resources. Community policing initiatives should be established, fostering partnerships between the police and citizens through regular meetings and neighbourhood-watch programs. Intelligence and information sharing among law enforcement agencies needs to be enhanced to allow access to important information, ensuring coordinated efforts and focused attention on specific crimes. Strict law enforcement and legal reforms are necessary. Existing laws need to be enforce rigorously, their review and update should be done as required, and trials should be expedited to ensure swift justice to victims. Surveillance systems such as CCTV cameras should be deployed extensively in public spaces, accompanied by advanced technologies like facial recognition and data analytics to deter crime and aid investigations. Comprehensive public awareness campaigns should be initiated to educate citizens about personal safety, crime prevention and reporting procedures. Empowering communities to actively participate in crime reporting and cooperating with law enforcement is also crucial to tackle the problem.

Aarti Rana Chauhan

Today’s policeman a hapless creature

The state has not had a truly satisfactory law and order situation after the 1980s. One is tempted to recall the era of 1950s and 60s when double riding on a bicycle was not allowed and whoever dared to violate the law was sure to be caught and issued a challan, without fail. Policeman’s whistle and his red turban were never missed or ignored. Police officers like KS Virk had magisterial powers and I clearly remember that he would walk the streets of Amritsar in plain clothes on Sunday evenings and physically handle teams of ruffians harassing pedestrians, particularly women. However, the ground reality nowadays shows the policeman as a hapless creature. Since his writ does not run, he chooses to look the other way. For him or her, inaction is the safest bet. Four or even five hefty young men riding a Royal Enfield sounding multiple horns flaunt the machine right before the traffic police on duty these days. No wonder we come across frequent cases of snatchings, robberies, etc. There is merit in the news that most culprits are nabbed, but their faces are always hidden from the public. The law is perhaps more concerned over the rights of the criminal than those of the law-abiding citizen. I think technology has made the police too dependent on it and you hardly see any night patrolling. The PCR motor cycles are usually seen on their stand. Those on duty are always seen busy with the screen or their moustaches. I think senior officers should interact with the responsible sections of the population to arrive at possible solutions. Police public meetings should be held at the mohalla level. Police pickets or ‘chokis’, the face of the police, should be more responsive. Moreover, large groups of policemen present at a traffic square can be posted more usefully in smaller groups elsewhere. The golden rule is that there is a direct relation between the state of traffic in a city and the state of law and order.

Prof Mohan Singh

Ensure there are equal opportunities for all

Any society is identified by the values it possesses. If crime-doers exist in it, the blame is put on its education system and cultural values existing within it. Above all, are the crime doers some ready-made products since birth? Not at all. It is within the society that these people are produced. There exists strata in every society where few people are more educated, richer, politically dominant, etc., than the others. These strata lead to a superiority or inferiority complex among people and the result is crime. There is no debate over the contention that there should be proper security arrangements against any offence and the police should act seriously against criminals. But what about the life of these criminals after they have completed their terms of imprisonment? Do they become sensitive human beings? The chances are very less. Hence, the only solution the government can follow do is to provide equal opportunities for all. The surplus income of any society should be used for creating social security net for all people so that there is no poverty. The social security net includes cheaper medical facilities, basic housing, education, unemployment benefits, cheaper loans to start businesses and old-age pensions for all so that citizens feel secure and safe in their own country. There has to be an emphasis on the coeducation system to nullify gender discrimination, and, subsequently, crimes such as rape. The literate, knowledgeable, sensitive and thoughtful people of the society need to come together and create such a system of education which provides equal opportunities for all so that economic, cultural and social disparities among people can be reduced to a minimum level and hence crime can get automatically reduced.

Harvinder Singh Chugh

Self-defence groups must be encouraged

Establishing a stringent security system is imperative for the public to develop a faith in the police. Whip-cracking police officers must be deployed at crime hotspots to ensure that the junior officials work diligently and not ally with the hoodlums there, or be henchmen subsequently, creating a fear among the negligent or erring officials, that they are answerable to the superiors for any laxity, and which would further, prove to be intimidating for the crime-doers, who would then tend to mend their ways! Another solution could be the formation of SDGs (self-defence groups) in the underbelly, or even better, the installation of CCTV cameras and an ‘Alarm’, which would have direct connectivity to the area police station. The rising crime graph is a serious issue and needs to be resolved at the earliest, as the proliferation of crime in the state could detriment the order of the entire region, and even be a threat to the national stability and security.

Anshika Kohli

Use modern technology to aid policing efforts

The law and order situation in the state has been unsatisfactory for decades now. Punjab suffers from both cross-border terrorism as well as internal mafias indulging in trades like illicit liquor, drug trafficking, illegal sand mining, etc. Many of these mafias act under the patronage of some vested political stalwarts. After coming to power, the AAP government initiated a number of steps to provide a clean administration. It launched a decisive war to eliminate corruption and gang culture so as to ensure a peaceful environment for people and businesses in the state. While it succeeded to bring about a visible change in the direction of corruption-free governance, the recent spurt in cases of arson, loot, carjacking, chain snatching and fatal accidents on roads due to reckless driving, etc., has again put the spotlight on the conditions prevailing in the region. The regime is desperately grappling with instances of thefts and robberies in the houses and business places, besides daylight murderous assaults by gangsters on rivals, giving rise to the perception that the offenders have no fear of law and the police. In this environment, AAP’s assertions to turn the state into ‘Rangla Punjab’ are pushed back as people still feel insecure. This is also naturally casting a slur on the credibility of the government and civil administration in tackling the situation effectively. The fallout of adverse law and order situation on the economy is also evident as no big investment has come to the state so far, and the exodus of youth to overseas countries goes on unabated. For inducing effective surveillance, the use of technology, besides continuous patrolling over the crime-spots, is ardently required. The traditional practice of liaison between the netizens and the authorities is essential to keep a watch on antisocial elements apart from quick tracing of the criminals. The judiciary needs to take prompt cognisance of illegal happenings in the society. The government must issue strict warning to officials to hold them accountable for unlawful activities undergoing in their area of control. They need to show constant presence in the field rather than working from designated offices. The safety and security of citizens is the paramount duty of the administration and it has to be ensured under all circumstances.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Act against colluding police officials

The city has been massively impacted with crimes like robbery, murder, drug trafficking, carjacking and snatching in the recent days, and it is a matter of grave concern that people are feeling unsafe. Snatching incidents have become very common and they occur mostly in urban areas and the easy targets are women. The state of affairs is so bad that one feels unsafe even near his own house and these acts are committed by organised gangs rather than individual miscreants. The fear of the police is missing due to their false claims and no tangible outputs. A nexus among criminals, politicians and police undeniably exists. The police must beef up their patrolling in sensitive areas and the guilty should be given rigorous punishment to create fear among them and others. The government should set up cameras at major locations in the city to keep a tab on illegal activities. The police should make regular rounds in the city. They should be equipped with the latest gadgets in order to catch the culprits. Residents need to be more vigilant after sunset and precautions must be taken while going out of house. Valuables and expansive jewellery should not be carried to public places to avoid any untoward incident.

Shashi Kiran

Zero-tolerance policy need of the hour

The deteriorating law and order situation in the state has led to a serious concern among residents. In addition to shootings and murders, the rising incidents of snatching, looting, robbery, theft, carjacking and kidnapping have left them extremely worried about safety and security. Apart from poverty, unemployment, inflation, mental depression, emotional bankruptcy, drug and alcohol addiction, scant respect for law and lack of fear of the police are the major reasons behind the current spike in the crime graph. The existing picture has brought the efficiency of the police force under the scanner once again. Criminals cab be seen indulging in nefarious activities even during broad daylight, that too with impunity and no fear of law. The government should adopt a zero-tolerance policy to check the menace. The police department needs radical reforms to take appropriate action against the perpetrators in time. The public should also cooperate with the police in tightening the noose around their necks. Sometimes, the police force is accused of laxity in taking action against the criminals or of alleged connivance with them. Disciplinary action should be initiated against the erring police personnel. The police administration should also be insulated from political interference for its smooth functioning.

DS Kang