Burglary, attempt to murder cases up: Delhi Police data

Data shows that the highest incidents of burglary, 1,563, were reported in Dwarka district this year as compared to 84 last year, 977 in Southeast district as compared to 209, 951 in Outer district as compared to 134, and 783 in South district as compared to 157 last year.

On rise in burglaries, Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said, “The e-FIR facility was launched in January for registration of house theft cases. It has brought in transparency and fairness in registration of these cases under appropriate sections.”

Data further shows 48 incidents of attempt to murder were reported this year in South district as compared to last year’s 18, 38 in Southeast Delhi against 32, and 37 in Northwest Delhi as compared to 23 cases last year.

Nalwa explained that most cases related to murder and attempt to murder happened due to interpersonal, family or financial disputes, and most have been solved. “The Delhi Police has also been working on rehabilitation of budding criminals through its Yuva initiative to bring them into the mainstream and deter them from going down a criminal path,” she added.

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Street crime — snatching and robbery — too has spiked as compared to last year. “649 cases of snatching were reported this year in Northeast Delhi as compared to 492 cases last year, 466 incidents in East Delhi as compared to 421 incidents last year, 327 cases in Dwarka district as compared to 234 cases last year,” the data shows. Robbery data shows that 117 incidents were reported in Dwarka this year as compared to 48 last year, 110 in Outer Delhi as compared to 88 and 109 in Outer North as compared to 73 cases last year.

Nalwa said: “Rise in other crimes, particularly street crime, can be attributed to the partial lockdown in 2021 vis-a-vis 2022. The correct picture can only be depicted after a comparison is made to pre-Covid times. Due to the multi-pronged approach against street crime like merging of PCR with local police, area-specific patrolling strategy, presence of senior officers in the area even at night, installation of high-tech CCTV cameras in vulnerable areas, busting of multiple syndicates of snatchers and robbers by Crime Branch and Special Cell, there has been a commensurate rise in the solved percentage of such cases and more criminals involved have been arrested.”

“Focus is also on increased conversion rate of PCR calls to registration of FIR to ensure that all those behind such crimes are booked under appropriate sections of law and do not go scot-free. With the help of a more robust mechanism for collection of evidence and legal assistance, we are also trying to ensure a higher number of convictions, which is already one of the highest in the entire country,” she said.