The police say they have cracked all 172 murders reported in Bengaluru in the year that just drew to a close.
City Police Commissioner C H Pratap Reddy told reporters most murders were related to personal enmity, property disputes and love affairs. Only 17 of the 172 victims were murdered for gain.
“Our focus is mainly on investigating cases scientifically. Every crime is attended to by forensic science experts, fingerprint experts and a sniffer dog squad,” he said, addressing a press conference.
Scientific evidence is directly admissible in the court, and the Bengaluru police are going to strengthen the process further with eight mobile vans equipped with forensic equipment.
Trained forensic experts will collect evidence from the spot, Reddy said. He said that robberies had decreased by six per cent since 2019.
Reacting to a DH question on why mugging cases, such as those related to phone and chain snatching, were being classified as thefts and not robberies, Reddy said: “I have given instructions to my subordinates to register such cases under robbery.”
This classification has been followed for some months, Reddy said.
Reddy praised the force for maintaining law and order during the many protests and demonstrations that marked the year.
Safe City project
In the first phase of the Safe City project, the police have installed 4,100 CCTV cameras across the city.
“In Phase 2, we will be installing 7,500 more cameras. For the safety of women and children, we are installing 50 safety islands, 60 women’s outposts, Nirbhaya centres, and critical care response units in eight major hospitals,” he said.
Accident rate on the decline
In spite of increasing vehicular traffic, the police have ensured safe commutes by adopting advanced technologies, said M A Saleem, Special Commissioner (Traffic). On an average, six accidents were reported for every 10,000 vehicles prior to 2022. In 2022, this came down to 3.53 per cent. The number of accidents in 2022 has fallen by 17 per cent since 2018. In 2022, 748 fatal accidents were reported, causing 777 deaths.
During 2020 and 2021, accidents and deaths had come down because of the pandemic.
The total fine collected in 2022 is Rs 179 crore, while in 2021, it was Rs 140 crore. (In 2022, some penalties were increased.)