Chandigarh Police file untraced reports in 800 theft cases in 2 months

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Chandigarh, July 14

Nirmal Kaur, a resident of the USA, was on an evening walk with her sister in Sector 49 here on September 25, 2022, when two persons came on a bike and asked them for an address. Before she could say something they snatched her gold chain from her neck and fled. She had filed a police complaint, but the cops have now filed an untraced report in the case after finding no clue in two years.

In another instance the police again filed an untraced report in a snatching case of Sector 38-C here that took place eight years ago. A woman, Vishu Babar, had filed a complaint on July 15, 2016, that two boys snatched her bags when she was returning from a temple.

Nirmal Kaur and Vishu Babar are not the only women in whose cases the police have filed untraced reports. The recent data of the District Courts, Chandigarh, shows that the police have filed over 2,000 untraced reports in the last two months, of which over 800 are related to theft, snatching and burglary cases.

Usually, the police files untraced reports in those FIRs in which it is not able to find any clues after investigation. After presentation of the untraced reports, the court summons the complainants and if they have no objection to the investigation then the court may accept the untraced report. The court can also order further investigation if it is not satisfied with the investigation or finds some shortcomings.

In many cases the untraced reports are filed within months of registration of cases. Munish Dewan, an advocate in the district court, said the problem in theft cases was that it was not easy to get the clues in such incidents. “In the absence of CCTV cameras or other proof, solving theft cases is not easy. But the police can re-investigate the case if they find any clues in future even after submitting the untraced reports,” he added.

Court can order reinvestigation

The police files untraced reports in those FIRs in which it is not able to find any clue after investigation. After presentation of the untraced reports, the court summons the complainants and if they have no objection to it then the court may accept the untraced report. It can also order further investigation if it is not satisfied with the investigation or finds some shortcomings.