City witnesses surge in cases of vehicle theft, murder

The City Beautiful witnessed a rise in crime this year, with a surge in vehicle thefts, robberies, dacoities, murders and attempted murders. However, in a rare silver lining, incidents of snatching saw a slight decline.

Despite assurances of increased patrolling by the Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles, vehicle thefts spiked significantly, with 1,382 being stolen this year as compared to 1,164 last year. Of these, the police could solve only 211 cases, raising questions about the effectiveness of high-resolution CCTV cameras installed at key junctions, which were expected to aid in identifying and apprehending culprits.

Grave crimes also saw an uptick, with 90 cases of murder, attempted murder and culpable homicide reported, compared to 41 cases last year. These included 21 murders, up from 17 last year. The suburbs and colony areas emerged as hotspots for stabbings and murders, exposing a worrisome state of lawlessness in these parts of the city.

Robberies and dacoities also surged, with 46 cases reported this year compared to 19 last year. Similarly, incidents of rioting increased from 24 last year to 34 this year. Snatching incidents dipped slightly, with 129 cases compared to last year’s 155, even as the police could solve only 88.

Burglaries remained a persistent issue, with 79 incidents reported, including 29 brazen daytime break-ins. The overall number of burglaries was slightly lower than last year’s 88 cases, but the resolution rate remained unimpressive, with only 36 solved.

Other thefts added to the city’s crime tally, with 213 cases reported, of which just 89 were cracked.

Meanwhile, the Arms Act saw 70 arrests in 64 cases, leading to the recovery of nine pistols, 29 cartridges, a magazine and 295 knives. Meanwhile, 93 individuals were arrested under the NDPS Act in 68 cases, resulting in the seizure of 5.45 kg heroin, 20.36 gm cocaine, 3.16 kg charas, 7.83 kg ganja, 2.56 gm opium, 1,423 bottles of banned syrups, seven vials and 6 gm of crack.

Box – Only 45 per cent registered cases solved

The UT Police this year registered a total of 3,612 cases, including 1,436 under the newly introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). However, their case-solving rate stood at a modest 45.68%, reflecting significant challenges in tackling crimes like vehicle thefts, burglaries, snatchings and other thefts.