Step up vigil, join forces with Punjab, Haryana cops

Open house: What steps can be taken to control deteriorating law & order situation in Chandigarh

Need to curb drinking at public places

Due to lockdown and less checks hidden drinking spots have emerged in the city. Late night drinking at these places are also criminal’s planning spots. Leisure Valley, Sector 10, public parks, parking spaces and poorly lit secluded spots in sectors are popular among miscreants. In mornings, one can spot empty liquor bottles and food packets at such places. The police should increase patrolling at these spots from 7 pm to midnight. Drunk driving tests should also restarted.

Col PS Gill (retd), Chandigarh

QUESTION

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People are developing complacency as festival season has started. Experts have warned of another Covid surge in the festival and winter season. What measures should the UT Administration take to curb another surge?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com

Deploy more vehicles on patrol duty

Spurt in crime incidents in the city shows that criminals have no fear of cops. They are executing their plans as per their wish with target, place and time of incident of their own choice and flee without any resistance from the police. Aggressive and efficient patrolling by the police along with frequent checking of vehicles particularly during late night hours can prevent crime. The number of patrolling vehicles have to increased. Cops must use their intelligence wing to nab culprits.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Reduce political interference

One feels sad and worried after hearing about shooting incidents in the city, but the root cause is unemployment. Secondly, politicians have corrupted minds of students. Many colleges and universities have opened in villages, but these are of no use. In other words, these are shops for minting money. It’s not fault of students, but politicians, who fund and encourage students to jump into politics. It is up to parents to prepare their children for the life ahead. The police can only keep a watch on nightclubs and pubs.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

Criminals act with impunity

Shooting and killing incidents are on rise in the City Beautiful because police patrolling is totally missing. Criminals take undue advantage of this situation and act with impunity. The UT Administration must deploy police with vehicles that should do rounds of all sectors to keep criminals away.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Vendetta germinates in students’ poll

Parents are responsible for the upbringing of such brats. Counselling is required for negligent parents, who do not bring up their kids, as per the right value system. The police can do a little if culprits are brought up with impunity. The Chandigarh Administration must think about scrapping Panjab University elections. Vendetta germinates here only and ends up in bloody brawls on peaceful roads of Chandigarh.

Rajpartap Singh, Zirakpur

Psychologists can point sites of brawl

All problems have a solution. The police can defuse ugly situation by dissipating potential troublemakers. A team of approved psychologists on patrol duty can pass information to the police for immediate steps and nipping the evil in the bud. Beat box police can reach the spot at the right moment and take action against miscreants.

Japdeep Kaur Chowdhary, Patiala

Psychological test must for arms licence

Discotheques, pubs and bars should not be allowed to open till late night. Arms licence should be issued to genuine persons after psychological tests and taking in writing that they will not misuse them. Those already involved in crimes should be barred from carrying weapons. Night patrolling should be beefed up.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Existing laws are toothless

Existing laws are proving toothless to tackle the gangaster menace. Due to political pressure, corruption and non-accountability, the police investigation is not expeditious. After filing of charge sheet, case lingers on in court for years altogether. This has emboldened criminals. If investigation is completed in a fixed time frame and judgments delivered within six months, the terror created by gangasters can be reduced.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

Tricity cops must work closely

The UT, Mohali and Panchkula police should work closely. Their CID and investigation departments should work in unison to check criminal activities. Police patrolling especially at vulnerable points like malls, hotels and restaurants should be increased particularly during nights. Cops must be deployed in civvies around the city. Landlords must inform the police about credentials of their tenants. The police should continue to work against the drug menace.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Do not spare violators of law

Law catches flies, but let hornets go free. The Chandigarh Administration should issue strict instructions to the police to maintain law and order in the city at any cost. Corruption has to end. Cops should perform their duty honestly. All must be treated equally in front of the law. No violator should be spared at any stage. Barriers should be laid at all city entry points where vehicles should be searched for weapons. Patrolling should be increased in the city.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Better coordination to combat crime

The City Beautiful is now becoming a heaven for criminals. Eleven firing incidents in the last 18 months have already claimed six lives, which has exposed the deteriorating law and order situation in the city. Criminals are taking advantage of contiguous boundaries and jurisdiction barriers to make a quick and safe getaway. The rise in crime incidents can combated through more coordination within the police forces of the tricity. Besides, higher police officials of the tricity must meet once in a month to discuss how to improve the law and order situation and also create WhatsApp groups to share information.

Gopal Mital, Panchkula

Cooperation between residents, cops must

As most police personnel are busy with Covid related duties, there is a spurt in criminal activities in and around Chandigarh. A strict check on the use of unlicenced weapons is the need of the hour. Night patrolling should be increased. The Administration should ensure that all CCTVs in the city work. Residents need to be vigilant in case of any suspicious activity in and around their area. Cooperation between the police and residents is must.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

Youngsters carry arms openly

Shooting incidents are increasing day by day in Chandigarh and its periphery. The incidents were of similar nature and involved youths of same age groups. Youngsters carry firearms freely to nightclubs and on city roads without any check. Areas where shooting incidents are frequently reported should be kept under strict vigil.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

No search at UT entry points

With the rise in shooting incidents in and around vulnerable spots, it appears that the UT police have yet to do its homework properly. The police alone have to blame itself for letting outsiders from other states enter Chandigarh without proper search at entry points. The Administration should ensure that maximum police personnel are deployed on ground duty rather sizeable numbers performing household errands of politicians or top officials.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Policemen have to be more active

Increasing incidents of shooting is a matter of concern. The UT police have to be more active at entry points. They must search all those coming from other states, who enter the UT. Higher officials should also visit entry points and nightclubs regularly. A strict vigil by the police force in the city is need of the hour.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Ensure criminals don’t enter politics

Usually these are spoilt brats from rich and powerful families, who commit crimes. As per the data available since last two years at least 24 children, who were involved in crime, belonged to families of former and serving policemen. Youngsters and student leaders have a dirty political nexus. There is a symbiotic relationship between crime and politics. Unless persons with criminal background are banned in politics, nothing concrete can be happen. Laws must be enacted to ensure that people with criminal cases do not enter politics.

Dr PS Bhatti, Maloya

Close nightclubs, dhabas in UT by 11 pm

Brawls and firing incidents have become a regular feature in Chandigarh and adjoining areas. Young men of affluent families are involved in such incidents. They suffer from superiority complex due to wealth and become arrogant under the influence of liquor. Nightclubs, liquor shops and dhabas should close by 11 pm. Parties of every kind should be over by 11pm. Cops must have information about operational gangs and ‘supari’ killers to keep check on their nefarious activities. Youngsters must eschew bitterness and promote love.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Professional policing a sine qua non

Daily crime incidents in news leave a little doubt that criminals have shed fear of law and residents have lost their confidence in the police force. The police need to rework operational strategies. Wishy-washy approach will not fetch desired results. The city should implement special provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Antisocial Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. Gun/gang culture is unethical to civil society. Professional policing and incorruptible force is sine qua non for reducing crime in the UT.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Instil fear of law in criminals

The recent shooting incidents in the city have exposed total ineffectiveness of the police. Does every youth carry a gun? From where do they procure arms and ammunition? The Administration makes entry of residents from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh into the UT easy. Punjabi video songs with lyrics and pictures of guns also promote crime culture. Such songs should be banned. The crime graph is not going down in the UT unless and until there is fear of law and the police presence is felt.

Gurpreet S Malhotra, Chandigarh

Inter-gang feuds must be dealt with sternly

Residents fear to venture out in the night as incidents of shooting are increasing in the city. Cops must deal sternly with inter-gang feuds, reason behind such incidents, to instil confidence in the public. They must search for illegal arms at entry points of the city and clubs. Intelligence report on movement of persons with criminal records should be followed diligently. Residents should also cooperate with the police by reporting suspicious movements and illegal activities.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Enforce laws strictly in city beautiful

Rising crime depicts violence and disorderliness in the City Beautiful. Chandigarh has always been an education hub for neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. If the crime rate rises, the UT will not only lose its dignity, but also its income. The police should implement laws strictly. Rigorous punishments must be awarded to those, who commit crime.

Tarunjot Kaur, Greater Mohali

Change mindset of people

Rising crime rate in the City Beautiful is a brooding issue. The city can be considered beautiful only when its people are living in prosperity and roam sans any fear. This situation can be achieved if the police spread message and organises seminars to change mindset of the people from misanthropic to egalitarian.

Satinder Kaur, Kharar

Security audit of public places a must

There is no doubt that the Chandigarh Police has failed to maintain law and order in the city. Both the police and the Administration in the tricity should work together to tackle the situation and create a peaceful atmosphere. The DGPs of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh should meet to tackle interstate criminals. Security audit of public places in the UT is must. Moreover, politicians should not misuse the police as their private militia.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

Residents too can help curb crime

To stop the rising crime in the UT is not the solely duty of the police. Residents can also curb crime. If someone witnesses crime or suspicious movement around his/her place then he/she can inform the police without any fear. As Napoleon has rightly said “The world suffers a lot not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people.”

Jasmer Singh, Greater Mohali

Check youth who have political links

Shooting incidents have increased due to interference of political parties in university and colleges elections. Political parties help students get weapon licence. Students meet gangsters in meetings of political parties. The government should check youngsters especially those, who have links with political parties and make sure that weapon licence is not issued to them. Exemplary punishment should be given to culprits involved in crime otherwise.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Cops, nightclubs can curb menace

Undoubtedly, rising incidents of firing in the city is a matter of concern. To curb this menace, the police must identify vulnerable points and beef up security. Police personnel should keep a 24×7 check on nightclubs. Managements of nightclubs in the city must be more vigilant. They should not permit entry of those involved in crime on club premises. Also, club owners should cooperate with the police to curb such incidents.

Hardeep Singh Slaich, Mohali

Display of weapon power common

Gun culture and deteriorating law and order situation in the UT is worrisome. It is clear failure of the Chandigarh Police. Criminals and gangsters do not fear law. The brute display of weapon power is not uncommon. Rather keeping weapon has become fashion. Easy availability of illegal weapons is another reason for rise in crime in the UT. Regular checking at city entry points can help in finding criminals.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Chandigarh

Improve intelligence gathering in UT

The recent spate of shootings in Chandigarh has raised a question mark on the effectiveness of the law and enforcement agencies in the city. Gangsters roam freely and go on shooting spree either to take revenge or challenge the police force. The reasons for the breakdown in the law order could be many, but the primary is no fear of law or police in minds of criminals. The Administration should improve intelligence gathering mechanism in the city to prevent such incidents in future.

Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Let cops teach lesson to spoiled brats

Criminals have lost fear of cops. They get free after bail or completing some formalities or sometimes with just warning. Deploy honest officials and give more powers to them to nab criminals and curb shooting incidents. Once culprits are caught there should not be any political or bureaucratic intervention to protect them. Let cops teach lesson to spoiled brats for breaking law.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Increase patrolling near public places

To maintain law and order in the City Beautiful, the police should increase patrolling near pubs, clubs, discos and restaurants. Besides, CCTV cameras should be installed near colleges, universities, bus and railway stations. The UT Administration should deploy more police personnel at vulnerable points to keep a check on miscreants.

Nakhpreet Kaur, Sanghol

Focus on preventive policing

In the recent past, there has been a spurt in shooting incidents in Chandigarh, which has eroded the trust of residents on UT policing. There is an urgent need to improve coordination between neighbouring states and the UT. All relevant information of criminals should be shared. The focus of law enforcers should be on preventive policing rather than being mute spectators.

Dr Manjinder Kaur, Manali

Keep an eye on suspicious elements

There has been a constant rise in cases of shooting in the city. There is need of better coordination between Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali police in order to maintain law and order in the tricity. Police patrolling should be intensified . CCTV cameras should be installed at important points. Residents should keep an eye on suspicious elements. Residents’ welfare associations should employ watchmen in their respective sectors.

Dr Shruti K Chawla, Chandigarh

Change colonial mindset of police

Gangsters move around the city with no fear of the police. To inculcate the fear of law in minds of criminals, a policing philosophy based on protecting rights of all citizens is needed. The police must focus on upholding the law, rather than using force to impose the law. The Police Department remains understaffed, underfunded, unequipped and unaccountable. Better intelligence inputs, administrative action and trained police force are rarely used to pre-empt shootings. There is a need for reforming the police to overcome the colonial mindset and organisational pattern followed even to this day.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh