'Be alert on Amavasya': UP top cop says follow Hindu calender to curb crime
LUCKNOW: In a strange internal circular issued on the eve of Independence Day, UP director general of police (DGP) Vijaya Kumar directed police officers to use the ‘Hindu panchang’ (calender) to assess the period, on the basis of the ‘lunar movement,’ when the probability of criminals becoming active was the most and when the gangs were most likely to strike.
The ‘panchang’ is a lunisolar calendar that has a fortnight starting with the full moon, called the bright phase (shukla paksh) and a fortnight commencing with a no moon, called the dark phase (krishna paksh). During the shukla paksh, the nights are bright with moonlight whereas during the krishna paksh, the nights are dark. The no-moon night is pitch dark.
The DGP’s August 14 circular with a copy of the ‘panchang’ attached to it, directed police officers across the state to intensify night patrolling during darker nights (the fortnight having a no-moon), as it was the time when these gangs were most expected to strike.
The circular asked the cops to remain on high alert on ‘Amavasya' (no-moon day and the darkest night of the lunar fortnight) reminding them that the no-moon day would fall on August 16, September 14, and October 14.
The DGP asked the officials to remain alert a week before and after these dates.
On the DGP’s push, an alert has been raised, especially, for dark nights which are the most favourable period of the month for criminal gangs to strike with impunity.
“The public should be aware of the dark period of the month and the cops should also be alert to it in order to intensify their patrolling to the maximum to keep the crimes under check,” said the DGP.
The circular also stated that padlocks and double lock systems should be installed across households.
DGP Vijay Kumar also discussed how to do crime mapping while identifying hot spots and asked officials to intensify night patrolling there.