JOIN USPolice look back, see a year of hard lessons
“I am soldier and my duty is to fight in the battleground and not to quit,” said police commissioner Neeraj Kumar over the controversy of him quitting following the December 16 gang rape incident.
At the Delhi Police annual press conference on Friday, he said heinous crime in the capital has increased in 2012 by 1.75 per cent compared to 2011, but police will make the city “safe and a better place to live”.
He said there were 54,287 cases registered under the Indian Penal Code in 2012 compared to 53,353 in 2011 — a rise by 1.75 per cent — but 53.15 per cent cases were also solved.
Heinous crime cases saw an increase of 10.64 per cent in 2012, with 2,402 cases being registered in comparison to 2011, when 2,171 heinous cases were lodged.
The annual report stated that there was increase in rape, molestation, attempt to
murder, riot, robbery, extortion, and abduction and theft cases in the Capital.
In 2011, 572 cases of rape incidents took place and in 2012, it was 706 — an increase of 23.43 per cent. Similarly, incidents of molestation increased by 10.65 per cent. In 2012, 727 cases of molestation were registered as compared to 657 cases in 2011.
Extortion increased by 35.65 per cent as last year 136 cases was reported as compared to 101 in 2011.
There were 274 cases of abduction in 2012 as compared to 238 cases in 2011 — an increase of 15.13 per cent.
Cases of burglary too increased. Last year, 1,715 cases were reported and in 2011, it was 1,419 cases. Apart from these all the crime under various sections of Indian Penal Code showed a decline trend.
The number of murder cases showed a decrease by 4.05 per cent with police registering 521 murder cases in 2012 as against 543 in 2011. Similarly, vehicle theft cases showed a decline. Last year, 14,391 cases were reported as against 14,668 in 2011.
“People are feeling more empowered to approach the police with their complaints now. In fact, the high number of cases of crime against women which have been registered is solely because each complaint is converted into a case and investigated with priority,” he added.
“The December 16 gang rape was not only a ‘watershed incident’ of this force but for the history of criminal justice system of India, if not the whole of India. It has the power, strength and propulsion to bring about major changes in the way offences against women are dealt with by police, prosecution, courts and even medical teams,” he said.
SENIORCITIZENS
Registration of senior citizens continued in 2012. Apart from senior citizens living alone, police have also registered those left alone at homes as their children go out to work for long hours. “At least 360 senior citizens of 15,644 registered with us belong to the category of those left at home while their children go out to work,” said Kumar.
An audit of 13,180 senior citizens was conducted by police to enhance their
security in 2012. A new
initiative was issuing identity cards registered elderly persons. “Some 13,000 identity cards were issued,” Kumar said.
Senior citizens are also contacted over phone and through visits by local police station staff and officers of the senior citizens security cell. “At least 4,602 visits and 24,062 phone calls were made last year.”
5,000protests
Delhi saw 4,243 protests in 2012 across the city, a majority of them at Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Maidan.
From the hunger strike by Anna Hazare to protests against the December 16 gang rape and murder, Delhi saw some 1,237 demonstrations, 1,667 dharnas, 282 processions, 449 meetings, 266 strikes, 221 rallies and 121 miscellaneous public gathering pertaining to political, communal, labour, youth and student issues.
The Delhi Police special branch also got 2,77,665 applications — 2,22,525 online and 49,140 manual — for passport verification.
The special branch got some 43,948 applications for antecedent verification cases for government departments in 2012, of which 38,682 were verified as of now.
OFFICERSPUNISHED
At least 2,000 police officers faced punishment, of which 112 were sacked for corruption and negligence on duty in 2012. According to police records, a probe by the vigilance investigation unit into corruption cases has resulted in disciplinary action against 1,968 personnel.
Last year, 112 personnel were dismissed, while the services of 365 police officers were forfeited and one was demoted. The pay of three cops was reduced, increments of 103 officers were withheld and 1,404 officers were meted out punishment.