Steep drop in crime rate in railway areas of Bengal during pandemic: GRP data

Train services in the state were suspended since the lockdown period in 2020. Although these were restarted occasionally, train services in the state have not yet returned to normal. It has been observed that the amount of crime in the areas under the control of the railways has been reduced by more than half during the lockdown, the data shows. According to the GRP, instances of theft, robbery and dacoity decreased by more than half in 2020 and again increased in 2021 as the train movement also increased in this period.

Statistics show that a total of 695 such cases were reported in 2020 and up to September 2021, 773 cases were reported. But in previous years – 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 – a total of 1,613, 1,940, 2,132 and 2,046 cases were registered. These cases include dacoity, robbery, murder, theft and other law-breaking incidents.

West Bengal has four GRP districts: Howrah, Sealdah, Kharagpur and Siliguri. In these districts, in 2020, Howrah recorded the most cases at 282 and up to September, 2021, Sealdah recorded the highest number of cases at 321.

Other than dacoity, murder, theft and other crime, there were several unnatural death cases across the state, the GRP said. In the past six years, a total of 15,944 unnatural death case were registered across the state. However, in 2020, this number decreased by 50 per cent from the previous year, at 1,564. As of September this year, the number became 1,846.

According to the data, no dacoity happened during this period and only five cases of robbery happened. Crime against women decreased significantly during this period. From 2016-2019 84, 74, 73 and 68 cases were registered which are crime against women. However, in 2020, only 16 such cases reported and this year up to September 2021, only 13 such cases were registered.

The GRP said suspension of train services was the main reason for the decrease in crime rate. A senior officer said, “The railway police was not much engaged in Covid protocol maintenance. So, even when rail movement resumed, number of fleet was minimum and vigilance of rail police was better than usual days. Naturally crime rate decrease for these reason.”

The officer added, “The crime rate in the railway area is much lower than before. The railway police wants to maintain this. That system is being maintained by dividing the area and taking responsibility.”