Nagpur: State home minister Anil Deshmukh claimed in a press conference on Sunday that city’s crime rate declined by 15% despite increase of 5 lakh population in the police jurisdiction due to inclusion of Kamptee and Hingna. He was speaking about the controversy over National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of 2019, when the state was under BJP chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The state home minister also extolled the city police for creating benchmark in disposing off 8,000 cases in just two months. “Women are safer in Nagpur with cases of rape and molestation going down,” he said.
Deshmukh, flanked by CP Amitesh Kumar and Addl CP Navinchandra Reddy, said release of inmates from prisons due to Covid guidelines on parole had led to rise in crime to some extent in Maharashtra. He called it a necessary step to prevent spread of corona inside jails.
In response to the controversial figures of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), regarding crime rate on the basis of 2011 population census, Deshmukh said the glitch would be pointed out to the agency to correct the compilation. “We had 25 lakh population before the expansion of the commissionerate and now another 5 lakh have been added, which NCRB has to consider,” said Deshmukh.
“The latest NCRB figure is of 2019 when the situation was somewhat aggravated too. This year, city police made a turnaround by pulling back crime rate,” said the home minister. He pointed out total offences in 2019 were 7,734 but they had come down to 6,191 this year. Deshmukh also said most serious offences, including murder, have declined this year. “There was a statewide rise in cybercrimes during the pandemic lockdown but our state’s special cell has done well to tackle them too,” said the home minister.
Deshmukh extolled city police’s strategy of tracking criminals, activation of crime intelligence units, zeroing down upon criminals using weapons, and targeting nuisance at public places like consuming liquor in open and sale of Chinese arms. “City police are taking special measures like combing operations in slums, following up on cases of serious offenders and so on to keep crime under check,” said Deshmukh. He also said Rs85 crore would be spent on the revamp of the over century-old police headquarters at Takli.
Referring to statistics, Deshmukh also said strict policing would be adopted to ensure average crime rate of last 22 years is improved in the coming days. “The average crime has remained more or less the same, but the strategy to control it further is being worked out,” said Deshmukh.
“We have slapped MPDA, MCOCA on many goons and more proposals are underway,” he said, adding that illegal activities like cricket betting have been strongly dealt by CP Kumar. He added that police are also going after drug peddlers.
“We have already sanctioned 200 body cameras for cops and would give 2,000 in phases,” he said. “Horse mounted police on the lines of Kolkata would soon be brought to the city,” said Deshmukh.
The home minister also said the government would ensure local body elections in Gadchiroli are conducted in free and fair condition without fear.
BOX
CRIME STATISTICS
Murder
2019: 90
2020: 88
Dacoity
2019: 15
2020: 19
Robbery
2019: 147
2020: 127
Housebreaking
2019: 801
2020: 658
Motor vehicle theft
2019: 1,384
2020: 1,120
Rape
2019: 163
2020: 152
Kidnapping
2019: 536
2020: 320