New Delhi, January 2
The national Capital has witnessed 28 per cent fall in crimes as compared to 2007, as per the statistics presented by the Delhi commissioner of police, Y.S. Dadwal, today at the annual press conference.

While 74,111 crimes were reported in 2007, the Delhi police is patting its back for recording 53,072 crimes in the year gone by.

This dip in crime is visible under both heinous crimes (murder, rape and robbery) as well as the IPC crimes (snatching, burglary, hurt and motor vehicle theft).

“While IPC crimes came down from 53,244 to 46,414 cases this year – a 12.82 per cent decline, heinous crimes declined by 12.13 per cent this year compared to 2007.

Although, there is a marginal increase in murder cases this year, crimes like dacoity, robbery, attempt to murder, rape and riots decreased substantially,” said Dadwal attributing the positive results to better policing.

While the total murders in the Capital have gone up to 518 from 467 last year, almost all other crimes have recorded a lesser number than 2007.

While 21 dacoities were reported this year in comparison to 33 in 2007, cases of attempt to murder have gone down by 26 per cent (499 in 2007 to 367 in 2008).

Similarly, while 530 robberies were reported in 2007, this year it showed a decline of 6 per cent with 498 robberies reported. The graph for rape cases too showed a decline of 22 per cent with total of 453 cases this year compared to 581 in 2007.

The commissioner of police also highlighted the fact that number of cases solved during the year has also gone up.

Of the total 1,948 heinous crime recorded in 2008, 1,756 cases have been solved. “The overall success rate of 89.35 per cent in the year 2007 has been bettered to 90.14 per cent this year. The twin success of reduction in heinous cases and increase in the percentage of cases solved have been a result of sustained police professionalism and efforts of specialised units like the crime branch and the special cell which focus their detective skills on achieving breakthrough in all important and difficult cases,” said Dadwal.

Among the non-heinous crime section, motor vehicle theft and snatching has jumped up this year by 23 and 10 per cent in comparison with 2007.

A total of 9,895 vehicle theft cases were reported during the year 2008 as against 8,039 cases of the corresponding period of last year.

According to the Delhi police, motor vehicle thefts have been attributed mostly to the increase in number of motor vehicles and inadequate parking spaces. The failure of vehicle owners to install safety devices is another contributory factor. “I fail to understand why a man who can buy a car worth Rs 10 lakh cannot have safety devices fitted in his vehicle which cost few thousand rupee at the most?” questioned Dadwal.

The police has claimed to solve 1,934 (19 per cent) of cases related to motor vehicle theft this year.

In comparison, 1,318 cases of snatching were reported during the year 2008 as against 1201 cases in the corresponding year last year.

The Delhi police claimed to have solved 63 per cent of these cases with arrest of 1,208 criminals. Burglary was another sub-head that contributed to non-heinous crime with 1,818 cases recorded this year.

However, the figure was 5 per cent less than the 1,926 cases reported in 2007.

New Delhi, January 2
The Delhi Police has recommended the name of martyred inspector Mohan Chand Sharma for Ashok Chakra.

Giving information in this regard, Y S Dadwal, commissioner of police, today said the death of inspector M.C. Sharma has been a big blow to the Delhi police and the brave officer would be aptly rewarded for his sacrifice.

“We have recommended the name of inspector MC Sharma for the Ashok Chakra and the file in this connection has already been sent to the home ministry,” said Dadwal.

Inspector Sharma succumbed to his injuries while leading a police attack against terrorists holed out in a flat in south Delhi on September 13.

New Delhi, January 2
It is becoming hard for the Delhi traffic police to put road sense into the heads of the so called highly literate population of the national Capital. As per the annual figures related to traffic offences for the year 2008, the city has recorded a quantum jump of 68 per cent in comparison with 2007. While 7,13,066 traffic offences were recorded in 2007, the same in 2008 was 12,17,515. Of these, the maximum contributor has been the offence of red light jumping (RLJ) which has recorded a leap of 85 per cent. In comparison with 2,85,429 offence of RLJ in 2007, the Capital recorded 5,29,026 cases in 2008.

Almost all the sub heads related to traffic offences like minor driving, improper parking, over speeding, dangerous driving and drunken driving recorded an upswing when compared with last year. The offence of improper parking has been the second biggest contributor to the total figures of traffic offences. Compared to 1,88,400 cases of improper parking recorded in 2007, the year gone by witnessed 3,39,736 (increase of 80 per cent) offences. Offences of over speeding too recorded a jump with 1,83, 544 cases in 2008 than 1,59,361 cases last year.

In what could be termed as horrendous, more than 1 lakh offences of dangerous driving has been recorded in 2008 with figures reaching 1,32,467 compared with 73,131 offences in 2007.

The figures related to drunken driving this year has also gone up with 102 per cent increase. Compared to 3,748 cases in 2007, the year 2008 ended with 7,579 cases of drunken driving.

Interestingly, 20, 900 people were booked under the offence of jay walking in 2008 after the traffic police realised that irresponsible pedestrian movement cause leads to number of accidents and made it a punishable offence.

New Delhi, January 2
A city court today asked an electricity company to compensate a customer for harassment.

Additional district judge Kamini Lau asked North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) to pay Rs 2,00,000 as fine to Luthra Plastic Company that the power company charged with theft of electricity.

Refuting the charges of electricity theft, the court said there is no evidence against the company as the second inspection of the company revealed that there was no theft.

According to the prosecution, the case dates back to December 7, 1989, when a joint inspection by electricity officials revealed that the company was indulging in electricity theft and a case was registered on December 22 that year.

However, in 1995, the company was acquitted of all charges when some other team inspected the site and told the court there had been no theft of electricity.

Company owners, Balram Luthra and Ashok Luthra, filed a harassment case against the power distributor and claimed a compensation of Rs 1.2 million. — IANS

Noida, January 2
A dreaded criminal, who had escaped from Ghaziabad police custody on November 6, 2008, was yesterday night arrested by the Noida police after an encounter. Mukesh Gujjar alias Mukhi, of Phalaunda Garcha, who carried an award on his head, was nabbed along with a companion, Naresh Hodal in Haryana.

The police had received an input that some anti-social animals were going to Khora via Salarpur village. While checking vehicles at Sector-39, the police signaled a car to stop.

But, instead the occupants of the car started firing at the police team. After a brief encounter, the two occupants were overpowered.

It was later learnt that the car was hijacked from Indirapuram two days earlier. One foreign made pistol, one countrymade revolver, a bunch of master keys and a diary containing names and telephone numbers of leading businessmen of the area were seized from the duo.

According to the police, the arrested criminals had been threatening a number of people over phone and asking them to pay fat sums or face dire consequences. Both the arrested criminals are wanted in a number of cases of heinous crimes like murder, loot and vehicle thefts. Mukhi used to fire in the air to frighten people to pay up, the police said.

The police said that Mukesh was planning to rob an elderly lady, owner of a hardware store and her son in Noida, of Rs 40 lakh.

Mukesh had escaped from Ghaziabad police custody while he was being taken back to Dasna jail from the gangster court after a hearing in Moradabad. Since then he had been extorting money from people.

In-charge of Sector-39 police station Anil Somanya said that Mukhesh was arrested and sent to jail when he had fired in air in Khora colony to frighten his victim.

Ghaziabad, January 2
In a bizarre incident, a man cremated the body of his father in the house itself and locked the door from outside leaving his mother inside, who was also engulfed in the flames, the police said today.

The incident occurred on Thursday night in Radha Kunj under Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad.

“We have registered a criminal case against the son — Manoj on the complaint of constable Saleem Ahmad who witnessed the incident,” circle officer S.P. Singh said.

According to the FIR, Ram Adhar, 60, died Thursday night.

Adhar’s wife Anara Devi was in the room with the body when Manoj collected some cow-dung cakes and set the body on fire.

Manoj then left the room and bolted it from outside.

There was a fire in the room and his mother was also engulfed in the flames.

When a local resident unlocked the room he found Devi dead, the police said.

The police is on the lookout for Manoj. — IANS

Noida, January 2
Noida got its first all-women police station this New Year. SSP R.K.Chaturvedi, in the presence of senior officers, prominent citizens and representatives of the Federation of Resident Welfare Associations of Noida, cut the ribbon at the police station situated in Sector-39.

Chaturvedi said that with an all-women police station now in place, women will find it convenient to lodge their complaints as they are otherwise hesitant in approaching police stations run by policemen. He expressed that the initiative will go a long way in mitigating crime against women and reassuring better law and order in days to come.

Chaturvedi informed that the all-women police station in Sector-39 is a temporary arrangement and that a plot has been identified for it in Sector-44 where the Noida Authority will soon begin construction work.

The staff for this police station has not been appointed by the state government yet, so women cops in the district have been posted here for the time being. Sub-inspector Mithlesh Sengar has been made the first officer in-charge of the station. Besides, two sub- inspectors, one havildar and 16 constables have been posted here. In all, 25 policemen have been posted in the police station here, the SSP added.

Gurgaon, January 2
In protest against the police atrocities on labourers, rickshawpullers and workers on the night of December 23, 2008, a mega panchayat was held at Jama Masjid here today.

The move was criticised by political leaders of all parties on the initiative taken by Zakir Hussain, former MLA and BSP candidate for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha.

A one-week ultimatum was given by the political and religious leaders of all communities who had gathered on December 26, 2008 earlier. Leaders of the BSP, Congress, INLD and Janhit Congress had described the act of police as irresponsible and illegal.

They described the action taken by the Haryana police of transferring ACP Krishan Murari and suspending two constables as eyewash. They warned the government of dire consequences if the ACP was not suspended and a criminal case not registered against guilty police officials.

Hussain said a 52-member committee comprising people of all communities had been formed which will meet next week and chalk out the future strategy. By the strength of gathering, it seems there is heavy public support and people are stunned by the acts of Haryana police.

He said the elections in the background is seen as a heavy embarrassment for the Congress as its own leaders led Javed Aslum, chairman of the forest department, have assured  that appropriate action would be taken against guilty police officials but nothing has happened yet. Delay in action on part of government is resulting in heavy criticism among the common man.

It is to be noted that a police team of 40-50 members led by ACP Krishan Murari had entered Jama Masjid in uniform and shoes and had mercilessly beaten labourers, workers and rickshaw pullers on December 23, who use to reside there. 

Noida, January 2
Three Noida authority engineers who had acted on orders of their bosses during the Mulayam Singh Yadav government were suspended soon after the BSP came to power in UP. Besides, chargesheets were filed against them a year ago.

They are in a state of suspended animation as probe against them is pending. They have not been pronounced guilty either.

The engineers, it is learnt, have been punished for acting against Chief Minister Mayawati’s brother in Sector 44, Noida.

According to Noida authority sources, the then CEO, Sanjiv Saran had received a complaint of an RWA against some encroachment in Sector-44.

Senior project engineer S.C. Arora on checking found that the complaint was regarding encroachment around the house of a brother of Mayawati. A heavy force was sent with anti-encroachment team for action on site.

During the action, assistant project engineer Ganga Dayal was injured on the head. Junior engineer R.K. Bhasne was part of this team.

Since the action took place during Mulayam Singh’s regime, the engineers had got a threat only. When new CEO Balwinder Kumar took over in Noida authority on July 24, 2007, he promptly suspended three engineers, S.C. Arora, Ganga Dayal and JE R.K. Bhasne after a minor probe. They were charged with using substandard material in construction of drains in Sector-37.

It is over a year that the three sent in their reply to the chargesheet, but no action has been taken so far.

Palwal, January 2
The INLD-BJP combine will win all 10 parliamentary seats in Haryana in the coming Lok Sabha elections, according to former Chief Minister and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala.

Addressing a meeting here today, Chautala said the outcome of  the parliamentary elections, especially in Haryana, will play a significant role in the next assembly election in the state.

Chautala was critical of the Congress and its rule in Haryana. He said the Congress government had not measured up to the expectations of the masses.

Both the Palwal segment and Faridabad constituency are presently represented by the Congress in Haryana vidhan sabha and Parliament.

Chautala said that the farming community was adversely affected by the policies of the state government and the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

He alleged that while there was ceiling of 17 acres of agricultural land for a farmer, the industrial houses and builders were allowed to own hundreds of acres of land.

He urged the BJP and the INLD workers to get into election mode and start working for the success of the NDA nominees in the Lok Sabha elections.

President of Haryana BJP Om Prakash Manchanda said that the re-alliance of the BJP and the INLD was a “re-union of two hearts”.