Crime Branch office in Sector 11, Chandigarh. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)
THERE ARE a total of 17 police stations, including one woman police station, which only deals with the cases related to cruelty against women and dowry harassment. The remaining 16 police stations along with 14 police posts cover all of Chandigarh and are responsible for registration of FIRs, maintaining law and order situation, making arrangements for VIP and VVIP visits, night patrolling and disposing of all the FIRs. In Chandigarh, all the police stations are under SSP (UT) Nilambri Vijay Jagdale.
On average, one police station has 79 police personnel, including constables, head constables, ASIs, SIs and two inspectors rank officers. The 14 police posts, including GMSH-16 and GMCH-32 police posts, have an average strength of around 30 police personnel.
Crime branch, an exclusive investigation wing, is under SP Ravi Kumar Singh. Earlier, the UT SSP used to head the crime branch. Crime branch detectives visit every crime spot, be it a petty offence and heinous crime. They also liaise with the crime branches of neighbouring states, maintain records of all types and categories of known criminals and history sheeters. Chandigarh crime branch has 82 police personnel, including two inspectors and one DSP. Currently, crime branch is divided into three wings, including anti-snatching/robbery cell, anti-auto theft wing headed by Inspector Amanjot Singh and heinous cases wing, which is being monitored by Inspector Dalbir Singh Bhinder.
As per the records of crime branch, in 2017, 116 cases of snatching were solved with the arrest of 70 people; 20 cases of robberies were solved with the arrest of 32 people; 15 cases of burglaries solved with the arrest of 15 people; and 126 cases of vehicle thefts with the arrest of 68 persons.
In 2018, the crime branch has solved 12 cases of snatching out of 55 so far; 28 cases of vehicle thefts out of 102 and two cases of house thefts and burglaries.
Yodha Singh, a notorious criminal wanted in five cases of kidnapping and robbery, was arrested by crime branch but escaped from police custody on February 5. After his escape, Yodha executed a carjacking in Panchkula and another kidnapping and robbery in Chandigarh.
Another wing, operations cell, is an anti-terrorist cell, which takes care of the security of sensitive places, provides commando protection to designated persons and keeps tabs on persons who are deemed as a threat to national security.
This cell is also headed by SP Ravi Kumar Singh. Police sources said, “After the command of crime branch was taken from the SSP, a new trend has been witnessed in the investigation of cases. Earlier, joint teams of crime branch and local police station personnel worked on the cases but now crime branch personnel work on their own and police personnel of police station prefer to share minimum information about the crime with their counterparts in crime branch.”
SP Ravi Kumar Singh refused to make any comment.
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SSP (UT) Nilambri Vijay Jagdale: ‘Increasing population and unemployment are prime reasons for the rise in crime’
SSP (UT) Nilambri Vijay Jagdale.
Why is Chandigarh Police failing to curb crime?
Our efforts are on. Nobody can say that police have failed to crack cases. Although the number of cases is increasing, simultaneously accused are also being arrested. Indeed, there are some cases such as the robbery at the house of businessman Ajit Jain, in which we are yet to establish the identity of accused. But in all other crimes, including kidnapping of businessman’s son, Harpreet Singh, and robbery with Surinder Singh, we have identified the accused. Recently, we cracked the sensational auto gangrape case with the arrest of all three accused.
People, especially women, are scared to step outside their houses in view of increasing incidents of snatching. Your take?
The situation is completely under control. Recently, a woman was robbed of her valuables near MCM DAV-36 and police arrested three of the snatchers within six hours. All snatched valuables were recovered. Similarly, the cases in which aged women were robbed of gold chains, we were successful to arrest the accused.
Is there any need to upgrade the police functioning or making strict procedures to curb the crime?
Yes, as far as snatching cases are concerned, we have already moved a proposal to make the crime of snatching stricter and to be dealt under strict sections. In Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, amendments were made to sections 379 and 356 of IPC. In these states, snatching cases registered under sections 379A and 356B of IPC and accused prosecuted in the session court. The maximum punishment of this offence in these states is 10-year imprisonment. In Chandigarh, the maximum punishment of snatching is merely three years. Apart from it, I am personally focusing on the prevention of crime. And we’ll get some positive results.
What are the reasons behind the sudden rise in crime?
An increase in the population of this city and unemployment are the prime reasons. Questioning of several accused revealed that either they were unemployed and earning very less.
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