Delhi noir: Tougher laws, more cops on streets, yet Capital’s crime rate doubles in 2014

The latest crime statistics show that Delhi Police have failed to make the city ‘crime-free’ during the year 2014. On the contrary, the crime rate has, in fact, increased by more than 100 per cent as compared to the previous year. With almost 1,47,094 cases registered till 10 December this year, as many as 375 people registered complaints daily at various police stations. Out of which 25 per cent of the complainants were victims of the street crime including robbery, murder and assault. The figures were different last year with 63,169 IPC cases reported in 2013, while 54,287 cases in 2012 and 53,353 in 2011. As per the data, there has been a tremendous rise in the cases of robbery, dacoity and snatching with 500 per cent, 250 per cent and 140 per cent respectively. Motor vehicle theft cases have gone up to 60 per cent whereas kidnapping for ransom has increased by 50 per cent. 

Attempt to murder has shot up by 38 per cent while murder cases have gone up by 20 per cent (approximately). Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi attributes this rise in crime graph to “truthful registration” of crimes and women feeling more confident and coming forward to report the incident. Speaking to Millennium Post, a senior police official requesting anonymity said, “Delhi is a safer place to live in. The sudden rise in crime graph is because of the change in society post-Nirbhaya case. Victims are approaching police and registering FIRs, thereby sending up the actual numbers of registered cases.”

He further added that the easier mode of filing FIRs (online registration) of lost items is another reason behind the unexpected spike. In a major technological solution to ensure smart policing, Delhi Police on February 28 launched the ‘Delhi Police Lost Report’ app through which people are able to report loss of items like mobile phones, documents like bank passbooks and certificates, etc through their smartphones.

Till October this year, more than 5.5 lakh people had used the app for registering complaints for loss or theft of various items. A digitally-signed document is provided to the people who use the app to register cases which can then be used to get the document reissued. At present, there are 1000 Police control Room (PCR) vehicles patrolling in the city. Recently 370 new PCR vans were inducted into the existing fleet of 630, so that 1,000 total PCR vans could ply on the roads 24 hours a day, given the soaring rate of crime against women in the city.