Delhi crime on rise for 4th year, rape cases up by 23%

New Delhi: Crime in Delhi is on a rising trajectory for the fourth consecutive year registering a 1.75 percent increase in 2012, a year which also witnessed a whopping 23.43 percent increase in rape cases including the horrific gang-rape of a paramedic student in a moving bus.

Though there was a dip in street crime like snatching and vehicle theft cases, heinous crimes were on the rise in the capital last year as compared to 2011. The number of cases reported in the capital rose to 54,287 from 53,353 in 2011. It was 51,292 in 2010. While 2008 saw a decline in crime in the capital registering 49,350 cases, the next year saw them rise to 50,251. “What was otherwise going to be a satisfying end to 2012 for us, turned out to be tragic last fortnight for the year goneby…We as a nation were appalled and outraged. People came out in hordes to show their wrath and anguish, most of which was directed at police. “It is not uncommon for citizens to target us in such situations as we are the visible arm of the government. But somewhere the anger was directed not only at us but perhaps against the criminal justice system as such and the inability of common people to correct it and correct it quickly,” Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said in annual report. The Delhi Police chief said this while referring to the 16 December gang-rape in the capital. Notwithstanding the gang-rape case, he said, police’s endeavour was to provide Delhiites service with a difference. The annual report noted that the number of murder cases showed a decrease with the Delhi Police registering 521 cases in 2012 as against 543 in 2011 and 565 in 2010. Murder was down by 4.05 percent. Vehicle theft cases also showed a decline for the second consecutive year. Last year, 14,391 cases were reported in 2012 as against 14,668 in 2011. However, cases of rapes and molestation of women increased by 23.43 and 10.65 percent. Rape cases rose from 572 in 2011 to 706 last year while molestation cases rose to 727 last year from 657 in 2011. Seventy-five cases of molestation were reported in the last 15 days of 2012. According to statistics, there has been decrease in dacoity, kidnapping for ransom, hurt and house theft. Kumar claimed that there has been a success rate of 89.47 percent in solving 2,402 heinous offences. PTI