Soon,a new station to police the area where kids were raped and murdered

Although a new police station had been notified in the area,it was only recently that Mumbai Police identified the region around Nehru Nagar and Chunabhatti as a demography that “urgently” requires “increased attention”.

“I will not deny the three cases were catalysts for the decision,” said Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal. “Till we find a suitable plot,it will be at the police quarters,” he said.

The rape-and-murder probe,in which officers of East Region and crime branch participated,is yet to be closed. A 19-year-old suspect,Javed Shaikh,was arrested after evidence linked him to the death of a minor,Nusrat Shaikh. Police are yet to nab the culprit who abducted,raped and murdered the other two minors.

Nehru Nagar has an estimated population of 7.5 lakh (as per the Mumbai Police website).

The bulk of Nehru Nagar patrolling involves slums with “occupational workers in transit” as population.

The new police station,with an estimated staff of over 300,will divide the jurisdiction,said the commissioner,though “posts will be filled as part of the expansion plans for 2011”.

He added. “It is a complex region. In the last few months when the probe intensified in the three cases,we started seeing a lot of disturbing incidents. There were many cases of molestation…though they did not turn worse than that. We are concerned. There were issues related to living conditions. The communities inside the slums do not seem to merge,as there are a lot of people coming and taking up temporary shelter. We need to study the area more closely,” said Dayal.

Meanwhile,the police staff residing on the three floors of MHADA police quarters in Chunabhatti are aggrieved as they have been told to shift to make space for the new station.