Delhi: Crimes around Railway stations dip over five years

The number of cases of abduction has gone down 47 per cent in the last five years, settling at 22 this year.
Image for representational purpose
Image for representational purpose

NEW DELHI: The overall rate of crime at railway stations in the city has dropped over the past five years, however, there has been a surge in cases of molestation of women and robbery — in the last two years, according to the data with Delhi Police.

Even though heinous offences like rape, murder, and abduction in the city were higher than the previous year, there was a dip in the figures, at railway stations, which are feared and criticised for being overcrowded and dangerous.

According to the data on the number of cases registered at the 45 stations that come under seven police stations in the capital, three rape cases were reported in 2018, at par with the number reported in 2014.

However, the figure was less, compared to four in 2017, seven in 2016 and 13 in 2015.  Not even a single case of kidnapping for ransom was registered from 2016 till November 30 this year. There were two such cases reported in 2015 and one in 2014.

The number of cases of abduction has gone down 47 per cent in the last five years, settling at 22 this year.“This figure majorly involves small children, who are lifted when parents are not cautious. Also, as stations are extremely crowded, infants become prey to abduction,”  Deputy Commissioner of Police, Railway, Dinesh Kumar Gupta said.

“For the last few months, we have adopted some strategies by building pressure on authorities at railway stations that our practice staff should be alert. If a person is seen sitting unauthorised, they are asked to leave and sometimes detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Act. Unwanted elements are being checked regularly,” the DCP said.

There has been an instance, he said, when a kidnapper was caught red-handed. The data shows huge decline in the non-heinous offences snatching. Other theft cases have seen a huge dip with the number settling at 432 this year. The cases of robbery that were 11 this year, were 10 in 2017 but the number was as high as 101 in 2015.

Another crime that saw a surge in the last two years was molestation of women — with nine cases till November 30. The number is up by 55 per cent in comparison with 2017. The DCP said that further efforts were ongoing to bring down crimes of all kinds.“We have discussed with the Railways ministry to get full CCTV coverage in stations... there still are dark spots, which need to be covered,” said the senior officer.

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