Victim's tale belies cops' rosy picture on crime rate
Instead of curbing crime in the city, police officials seem to be busy concealing the crime rate. In order to cover up crime, policemen have been evading registering of cases, especially burglary, theft and snatching, to show that their area is crime free.
Instead of curbing crime in the city, police officials seem to be busy concealing the crime rate. In order to cover up crime, policemen have been evading registering of cases, especially burglary, theft and snatching, to show that their area is crime free.
However, victims are bearing the consequences of the cover-up.
Hemant Kumar of Janakpuri area, who is a victim of the alleged police apathy, has been running from pillar to post since December 2010 to locate his stolen autorickshaw.
Neither did he find his stolen vehicle, nor did he get the claim from the insurance company.
The division No. 6 police had registered a case of vehicle theft on December 29, 2010, on the complaint of Tajinder Pal of Shivaji Nagar, as the thieves had struck the area and stolen his motorcycle from his house.
On the same day, Hemant Kumar's autorickshaw was stolen from in front of his house. The thieves had stolen another vehicle from the same locality on the same day.
In an attempt to screen crime rate, the police, instead of registering three separate cases, filed only one FIR. The case was registered on the complaint of Tajinder Singh. The police had adjusted the rest of the thefts in the same FIR.
Hemant's agony started from the day of theft. According to Hemant, he hoped that he would get the claim, as his stolen autorickshaw was insured.
When the police failed to trace the vehicle, they issued a non-traceable report, which was obtained only after he made extra efforts.
"To obtain the claim for the stolen vehicle, the insurance company is asking me to submit the cancellation report of the FIR that was registered in context of the stolen vehicle. As the police had registered the FIR on the complaint of Pal, the FIR cannot be quashed without his consent," said Hemant.
"As the motorcycle of Pal was not insured, he is reluctant to quash the FIR, as he is afraid that after quashing the FIR, if the police recover his motorcycle, he would not get the claim. Pal has rejected my plea and I cannot claim insurance from the company without the quashing of the FIR," he added.
"I am totally disappointed and groping in the dark. I have wasted lots of money, time and energy. Irked over the apathetic approach of the police, I have left things on its own fate," he said.
ACP (central) Ramneesh Kumar Choudhry said, "In case of similar nature of crime, the police can register all cases under one FIR. If one has a problem, we are bound to resolve it. The complainant should come and meet me."