Under fire, Haryana Police told to patrol rural, poorer areas

Under fire for failing to stop rape and growing criminal acts, Haryana Police has told its officers to daily visit villages and slums in four crime-hit districts and win confidence of people living in poorer and crime-prone areas.

Deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and station house officers (SHOs) have been told to visit at least four to six villages in their areas daily and motivate people to help prevent crime.

DSPs and SHOs in towns and cities too have been ordered to go to five slums every day and connect with the residents.

The Haryana inspector general of police (IGP) has sent out a communiqué on this to police chiefs in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat and Panipat districts. "The move aims at checking crime through public support," IGP Alok Mittal told IANS.

"DSPs and SHOs now have to get in touch with the public to encourage them to lend a helping hand to the police to prevent crime," he said.

They would ask the people to tell them about any brewing dispute or enmity on time, he said.

The communiqué tells police chiefs to ask DSPs and SHOs to carry out a contact drive in their districts to secure public support to curb crime and gather a record of anti-social elements to keep a tab on them.

The officers will also have to submit their visit reports to the police chiefs every day with details of what they did and whom they met, Mittal said.

Since September, as many as 12 cases of rape and gangrape have been reported in the state.
But Haryana's director general of  police (DGP) says the crime graph has gone down.

"It is misleading to say that crime is increasing in Haryana," DGP Ranjiv Dalal told IANS.

"Compared to last year, it has gone down. The number of rape cases is less than last year," he said.

But political parties are not convinced.

Haryana Trinamool Congress leader Satish Tyagi said the police were accountable for the rising crime graph since they did take timely action against criminals.

He also targeted the chief minister.

"Bhupinder Singh Hooda should also take the moral responsibility for the crime, especially against women. But he always washes off his hands, saying the law will take its course," he said.

Haryana Janhit Congress leader Kusum Sharma too slammed the Congress government in the state for the worsening law and order.

She said the chief minister should resign.