BELLARY: Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, while admitting that the number of thefts was on the rise in 2005, claimed that detection of crimes and maintenance of law and order were, by and large, good.

Reviewing the performance of the district police, Mr. Thakur told presspersons here on Thursday that good teamwork enabled the police to solve a number of cases of thefts, burglary, dacoity and robbery.

Around 160 cases of burglary were reported in 2005 of which 34 have been solved compared to 108 cases reported and 70 solved in 2004. Top priority was accorded to prevention of thefts, he said and added that there will not be any let up in the efforts to solve the remaining cases this year.

As many as 57 cases of murder were reported in 2005 compared to 43 in 2004, he said and added that 26 and 31 cases, respectively, have been solved.

Of the five cases of dacoity reported, two were solved and six matka bookies were arrested under the Goonda Act, he said. As against property worth Rs. 2.26 crores stolen, the police recovered property worth Rs. 1.23 crores, he added.

Mr. Thakur said the police, in order to check illegal mining and transportation of ore, booked 216 cases and seized property worth Rs. 9.72 crores, besides extending assistance to the Department of Mines and Geology in booking cases against illegal and unauthorised transportation of ore.

Under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, police booked 28,267 cases and collected Rs. 36.30 lakhs in fines, Mr. Thakur said. There were 240 fatal road accidents in 2005.

Proposal

Mr. Thakur said a proposal has been forwarded to the State Government to recruit more policemen and upgrade some police stations to check illegal mining and to prevent crime in the district.

He said that owing to the boom in the iron-ore mining business, the crime rate has also gone up.

He noted that people involved in iron-ore mining have received ransom calls, and two persons were arrested recently in this connection.

Staff strength

Increasing the staff strength by 50 per cent and upgrading the police stations are necessary to maintain the law and order situation, he said and added that he is hopeful of a positive response from the Government.

Mr. Thakur said the State Government has already constituted a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner to prevent illegal mining in the district. It is likely to meet soon.

Women's cell

Mr. Thakur said the women's cell set up by the police has been organising street plays in urban and rural areas to create awareness among people, particularly women, that police are there for their rescue in times of difficulties.

Road Safety Week

Mr. Thakur said the Road Safety Week will be celebrated in the district to create awareness among people, particularly children, about the need to follow traffic rules.

In addition to organising programmes in all taluk and district headquarters, the police will also launch a drive against over-speeding and drunken driving, he added.

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