Q.
My family and I moved to Pune about three months ago. My colleagues warned me against renting homes in areas such as Hadapsar. They say crime is on the rise. But the core city, they said, is better policed. I also read the PMC has been absorbing nearby villages. Why is the PMC doing that when we don’t have enough cops to patrol the outskirts? (Bunny Shekhar)
A. Since the past 10 years, there has been a slight rise in crime figures in the jurisdiction of the
Hadapsar police station. In fact, all police stations in the outer periphery of the Pune city have seen such a trend. This increase in crime is a common phenomenon in cities nationwide, due to growing population. A proposal for the bifurcation of the Hadapsar police and opening a new Kalepadal police station is pending approval. If you witness any criminal activity, please contact Hadapsar police on 021-26996577, senior police inspector
Sunil Tambe on 9823899199 or police control room on number 100.
Q.
The government is asking social media platforms to limit forwards. But what is the Pune police doing to check the spread of fake news or posts in the city? (Palash Vaidya)
A. Pune city police have a social media lab that keeps an eye on the Web and apps. Legal action is taken against fake messages or hate posts. Awareness is also being spread through our Facebook and Twitter handle. We also collaborate with NGOs and private agencies to check fake news. The ‘We Fight Cyber Crime’ initiative is also conducting awareness sessions at schools and colleges.
Q.
A wheel jammer was recently used on my illegally-parked car on JM Road. But I found that the car’s paint had been damaged by those installing the jammers. Is it okay for the traffic police to damage the vehicle? I’m paying the fine any way. (Shreelatha Kaushik)
A. It’s not okay for traffic police personnel to damage vehicles. The traffic branch has given instructions to all our staff to take care while installing jammers.
Q.
Are all members of the Pune police allowed to carry arms? Or are handguns limited to senior police personnel? Guns can serve as deterrents when dealing with hardcore criminals. (Sandeep Chavan)
A. Officers of the rank of police sub-inspector and above are given service weapons for daily duties. Handguns and other automatic weapons are given to police personnel performing law and order duties, those on patrolling mobiles and the prison guards. All personnel are briefed to carry service weapons while tracking hardcore criminals. In 2017, 125 hardcore criminals were booked under the
Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
Q.
Do the police conduct drug abuse counselling sessions in Pune? A friend of mine is in need of help. (Anonymous)
A. The Anti Narcotics Cell of the Pune police, in coordination with de-addiction centres such as Muktangan and Nityanand, organizes public awareness programmes. The ANC is also trying to create awareness amongst students as well as in slum areas by organizing lectures and street plays. Kindly contact ANC on 020-26208239 for assistance.
Q.
Do you think Pune police have effectively implemented the helmet-must rule, or stop motorists from using phones while driving? The police department often furnishes statistics to claim crackdowns are going on in the city. But we do not see many changes on the ground (T Shaw)
A. The traffic branch of Pune police has been taking regular action against bikers for not wearing helmets. We are also taking action against those talking on the phone while driving, using fancy number plates or tinted windows. This year, so far, we have already taken action against 35,702 riders for not wearing helmets; another 1,456 motorists were fined for using fancy number plates and 27,572 for using tinted films on car windows or windshields.
Rashmi Shukla
