The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Climbing crime rate, a cause for concern Law & order

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Saturday, Jun 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Climbing crime rate, a cause for concern Law & order

Nearly 100 of
270 registered cases are still under investigation, writes L. Srikrishna

The crime rate in Madurai has risen in the last six months, compared to the corresponding period last year, police say.

According to a few senior officers, maintenance of law and order is in good shape. But they admit that ‘all is not well’ with the crime wing. Cases of theft from locked homes and incidents of robbery, particularly at night, have risen, the y say.

Areas falling under S. S. Colony and Anna Nagar police stations are considered ‘crime pockets.’ Suburban areas and dwellings situated in isolated colonies within the city police limits and those under Madurai rural limits are also unsafe during late hours, residents allege.

“There are problems in getting our complaints of missing two-wheeler and minor thefts registered with the police stations.”

Though offences such as chain snatching from lone women on the streets have come down in these pockets, the number of major thefts has doubled.

According to the officers, during January-June 2007, the number of major thefts reported was about 130 cases, while it has risen to almost 270 in the corresponding period this year.

What is causing concern to the custodians of law is that nearly 100 out of the 270 registered cases are still under investigation.

Though the number of house-breaking incidents during the day has fallen from eight to six (between January and June of 2007 and 2008), it has increased from 20 (last year) to 30 during (January and June) this year.

Missing two-wheelers

During the last three months alone, nearly 100 two-wheelers were reported missing in suburban Avaniapuram and other police stations falling under Madurai rural district. It is learnt that thieves remove only the engine from a particular brand of two-wheeler and abandoned the vehicles in isolated pockets. These engines are smuggled out from Rameswaram and Tuticorin.

Compensation

Similarly, many complainants in the city allege that some police personnel demand money for issuing ‘undetected’ certificates with which they can claim compensation from insurance companies for loss of two-wheelers.

Commissioner of Police K. Nandabalan had told reporters recently that the police had solved major crimes such as murders for gain reported in the city in the last 10 months. He further said that the police would focus on attention diversion cases and look out for the accused who indulged in major thefts.

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