NEW DELHI: Though 2020 was full of big challenges for Delhi Police communal riots in northeast Delhi, lockdown and farmer agitation - the force managed to bring down the crime rate in the national capital by 15.87 per cent from 31,6261 cases registered in 2019 to 2,66,070 last year.
However, the number of arrests increased by 15.43 per cent. "The year 2020 gave many challenges...We took this challenge as an opportunity to serve the people," said Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava.
Technology played a key role in solving the crimes. Cases related to communal riots, street crimes, heinous crimes, organised crimes and even terror activities were cracked using modern and latest technology.
Several terror modules were busted last year and 32 terrorists arrested, compared to five in 2019. According to data provided by Delhi Police, crime against woman and children and street crimes like motor vehicle theft, snatching and others saw a sharp decline.
Heinous crimes against senior citizens also dropped in 2020 by 19 per cent. A total of 7,322 crimes were reported against women in 2020, down from 9,365 in 2019, and about 90 per cent of these cases have been solved.
About 68 per cent of those charged under the POCSO Act in Delhi were convicted, much better than the national average of 35 per cent.
According to the data, 44 per cent of accused in the rape cases were known to the victim - 12 per cent were neighbours, 14 per cent relatives, 2 per cent employer or co-workers and 26 per cent other known persons.
Only 2 per cent accused were are unknown or strangers. In 381 cases i.e, 22.42 per cent cases, the accused was either in a live-relation with the victim or refused to marry.
The police chief said that for security and safety of women and children, the police has started initiatives like Himmat app, selfdefence training for children in schools and colleges, increasing street-lighting and deployment of beat officers at dark spots.
The initiative to give out-ofturn promotions and Asadharan Karya Puraskar to police personnel helping trace missing children has resulted in huge success with 103 per cent of such children traced in 2020.