Mohali sees upsurge in crime against women

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 25

The city has seen an upsurge in all sorts of crime against women. Statistics provided by the Police Department speak volumes about the state of affairs. According to official figures, rape cases have gone up in the last couple of years. However, officials in the department feel that urbanisation could be a reason for upward swing in crime against women. “The police are taking all measures to keep women safe and secure in the city,” they said.

The year 2017 saw 44 rapes while 66 rape cases were registered in 2018. Till April 30, 2019, 25 rape cases have been registered, which is a clear indication that safety and security of women in the district is getting worse.

Cases of kidnapping have also gone up significantly. There were 77 kidnappings in 2017, 83 in 2018 and 38 in just four months of this year.

As many as 78 cases of dowry were reported in 2017, 2018 and up to April 30 this year. In 2017, 14 cases of dowry were registered, but in 2018, the district witnessed a huge increase and the number went up to 29. Even more shockingly, 35 dowry cases were registered by April 30 this year.

As many as six women were murdered in 2017 and 14 in 2018. Till April 30 this year, the police registered three cases of women murder.

Meanwhile, single case of dowry death was reported from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2019. In 2017 and 2018, the figure of dowry deaths stood at four.

The city witnessed 11 cases of molestation up to April 30 this year.

Crime against women include murder, dowry death, suicide, attempt to murder, rape, attempt to rape, kidnapping/abduction, molestation and dowry cases. 

A separate Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime against women and children) was deployed in the district in 2017 for better handling of such crime. 

When asked Gursharanjeet Singh Sandhu, who currently holds the charge of DSP Police (Crime against women and children), said: “I have abundance of cases related to matrimonial disputes. Rape cases and other heinous crime is dealt by the local police (SHOs of police stations). Their number is up to 95 per cent. Hence, it will be injustice if I comment on why the city has witnessed substantial rise in crime against women in past few years. We handle more cases like dowry, household violence and mental harassment.”

However, when Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Mohali, Harcharan Singh Bhullar was contacted, he said: “I will give details about these numbers on Monday.”

The SHO (Women Cell), Renu Sahu, said: “Urbanisation could be a reason for upsurge in crime as people have been migrating to the city in search of jobs. We have PCRs for round-the-clock patrolling to keep women safe in the city. We also organise awareness camps and self-defence classes for girls.”

“In my four years of service, I have realised that many rapes are committed on pretext of marriage. In most POCSO cases, family members and the knowns are offenders. We are also focusing on community policing to keep the crime in check,” she added.