Police administration in Punjab

THE report on police administration in Punjab (1924), which has just been published, is of more than ordinary interest, because it deals not only with the annual statistics of crime in the province but also with the much larger question of the re-enforcement of the police force. The number of true cognisable cases of all kinds dealt with by the police during the year was 45,566, as compared with 44,161 during the previous year; eliminating petty crime, the total was 34,365 as against 34,395 in the previous year, a decrease of 30 cases. The figures for such crimes during the last four years are as follows: 36,052 cases in 1921; 37,776 in 1922; 34,395 in 1923; and 34,365 in 1924. It would thus appear that in spite of the fact that the conditions governing the commission of crimes and their investigations by the police have been abnormal during these four years, there has been an actual decrease in the number of cognisable cases (omitting petty cases) reported to the police. The figures relating to more serious forms of crime disclose the same state of affairs. There were 960 cases of rioting during the year, as compared with 757 in 1923; but this increase of 203 cases is more than accounted for by the registration in Lahore district of 301 cases under Section 145, Indian Penal Code, in connection with the Bhai Pheru Morcha. As to cases of murder, 653 were reported as compared with 748 in 1923 — a decrease of 95 cases. There were 211 cases of dacoity during the year, as compared with 333 in 1923 and 349 in 1922. The Inspector General of Police regards this decrease as “real and satisfactory”.