Rise in crime bothered police, residents

The year turned out to be a happening year for Ludhiana Police Commissionerate with the police engaging criminals and gangsters, even shooting them in exchange of fire.

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Although it solved several major crimes cases, the only thing that is bothering the city residents is the rising crime, especially snatchings and thefts, and unsolved cases. Some cops also brought disrepute to city police by indulging in corruption.

The highs

The Ludhiana police proactively took on the criminals this year. Four incidents of exchange of fire took place in which cops caught criminals. On December 1, Gulab Singh was arrested after exchange of fire on Chandigarh road. On November 8, the police arrested Amit Kumar of Tibba road wanted in a robbery and snatching case following an encounter at Jassian Road. Similarly, on September 12, the Ludhiana police arrested a drug peddler, his brother and father at Mehmoodpura village. On June 22, two persons wanted in a case of attempt-to-murder were arrested after firing in Ram Enclave of the Chuharpur area. Both suspects suffered bullet injuries on their legs.

On August 17, Vardhman Group CMD SP Oswal after receiving 25-30 fraudulent calls fell into the trap and started transferring money to the callers’ accounts. He paid Rs 7 crore to the callers in five instalments. On September 17, the police cracked the case with the arrest two and recovered Rs 5.25 crore.

Cracking a whip against drug smugglers the police in several instances have frozen their assets worth over Rs 42 crore and properties, 30 in Ludhiana district and 11 in other districts, have been attached.

The police have also taken an initiative asking the heads of all police stations and crime wings to keep tab over repeated offenders. DCP Shubham Aggarwal who monitors the system, said during the recent arrests of snatchers, robbers and even drug peddlers, it was noticed that most of them were repeated offenders. To deter them from repeating crime, a daily data of criminals out on bail is shared with police station heads and incharges of crime wings.

The Ludhiana police also resumed the e-challaning system after almost six years. The online challaning system has been made operational at several traffic signals in the city and challans are already being sent online.

The lows

Traffic in old city areas has been a mess for years. Wrong parking and encroachment by shopkeepers and roadside vendors is the main reason for daily traffic snarls in old city areas. Traffic police and MC has also carried out several campaigns in the past to ensure that traffic remains smooth in these areas, but the impact was seen for a few days only.

Ludhiana has been shaken by a series of gruesome murder cases in January and April, leaving residents on edge and police investigators stumped. Despite the passage of time, the identities of the perpetrators and the motives behind the killings remain a mystery. In January, the body of a woman was found at Baghe Kalan village. In another shocking case, a passerby found a body chopped into pieces near Sherpur Chowk rail tracks wrapped in plastic bags. A third case involved the murder of 90-year-old Jamaldin, who was found dead with burns in his residential quarter on the premises of Ludhiana jail. Despite registering cases, the police have made little progress.

Snatching incidents are on the rise in city areas. Apart from the other residents, factory workers have become the prime target of the snatchers. In some of the incidents, women have suffered injuries while trying to save their valuables. Although police has been catching them, still the menace is on the rise.

In another case the VB arrested Nirdosh Kaur, ACP, women cell, Ludhiana, and her reader Beant Singh while taking Rs 30,000 in bribe. Around 100 people allegedly barged into a police station, vandalised it and also thrashed an ASI after a heated argument in July.