Crime rising, arrests dipping: Delhi Police Chief issues directions as heinous offences and juvenile involvement surge

Officers have been asked to identify juveniles involved in criminal activities and counsel them. In cases where juveniles are involved in two or more offences, district DCPs have been asked to approach the Juvenile Justice Board and seek initiation of trial as adults wherever applicable. Officers have also been instructed to invoke provisions under the BNS and the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2015, which penalise adults engaging minors in crimes

The top cop also directed all district Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to devote focused attention to pending cases of heinous crimes, and improve the detection rate for such incidents.  The Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Zone-II has been asked to share information regarding the online sale of switchblade knives on e-commerce platforms

District police units have also been asked to devise strategies to curb firing incidents in their respective areas. In the directive, Golchha stated, “Those arrested in firing cases must be thoroughly questioned to identify the actual conspirators behind such incidents, while beat staff have been tasked with identifying persons carrying illegal firearms in their areas. Responsibility of beat staff will also be fixed in cases of preventable crimes within their beats.”

The arrests in cases of street crimes — such as snatching, extortion, house theft and motor vehicle theft — have declined compared to the corresponding period last year, he underlined, said officers privy to the details.

The review also flagged a decline in the conversion rate of PCR calls into the cases registered in North, Rohini and Dwarka districts, compared to the corresponding period last year. District police have been directed to pay attention to the issue and ensure that petty quarrels are addressed at an early stage so that they do not escalate into serious offences and crimes.

He also noted an increase in robbery cases in North-East, Shahdara and South-East districts and asked the DCPs concerned to analyse the trend and take corrective measures. Similarly, a rise in snatching incidents in the Eastern Range was highlighted, with the Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range) asked to review the situation and implement measures to curb such offences.

During the review, it was found that cases of rape and offences under the POCSO Act have increased in Central, East, Outer, North-East and South districts.

The Commissioner further observed that the working-out percentage in burglary and house theft cases in some districts is not up to the mark and directed the concerned officers to improve detection in such cases. He also pointed out that the overall working-out percentage in motor vehicle theft cases is only around 9%, directing district police units to step up action under this category.

In addition, district DCPs have been directed to ensure that 100% e-Sakhya documentation is uploaded in cases of e-property theft and to focus on improving the overall working-out percentage in such cases.

Senior officers said the department will continue to monitor the situation closely and adopt a multi-pronged approach combining enforcement, community policing, and legal measures to address the worrying trends in crimes involving youth and urban violence.

A query sent to the Delhi Police spokesperson for a comment did not elicit a response.