The Capital witnessed an increase of 6.01% in crime reported last year as compared to 2017, however, cases of crime against women saw a marginal decrease, revealed data shared by the Delhi Police on Wednesday.
Heinous crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, and attempt to murder also showed a downward trend in 2018.
The total number of criminal cases registered in 2018 stood at 2,36,476, as compared to 2,23,077 in 2017. Of the total cases reported last year, 477 were murder cases, 2,043 were rape cases, 2,307 were incidents of robbery and 6,642 were cases of snatching.
Reasons for crime rise
At the Delhi Police annual press conference here on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik said that several reasons were identified behind the rise in crime rate in the Capital, including “influx of migrant population; porous borders allowing easy accessibility to criminal elements from neighbouring States; and street delinquency”. “We are working on how to address these issues,” said Mr. Patnaik.
According to the data, murder cases increased by 3.25% in 2018. On analysis of motives behind the murders, the police said that 38% of the cases involved personal enmity, 21% happened due to sudden provocation, and 11% was attributed to crime of passion.
The police said that 86.16% of murder cases stand solved in 2018.
In a deeper study of murder cases, the police claimed to have found that the weapon used in commission of crime was mostly a sharp-edged weapon. In about 43% of murder cases, a sharp object was used to murder a person; followed by fire arms, blunt object, and strangulation.
Crime against women, which the Delhi Police has claimed is a priority area for the force, saw a marginal decrease in 2018.
A total of 2,043 rapes were reported in 2018 as compared to 2,059 cases in 2017; 3,175 cases of molestation were reported last year against 3,275 cases in 2017.
Cases regarding sexual remarks to women stood at 569 in 2018 in comparison to 621 in 2017. Of the total rape cases reported in 2018, over 94% cases were solved; 85% of molestation cases were solved and 84% cases of insult to modesty were solved, revealed the data.
“In 2019, focus on safety of women will be continued,” Mr. Patnaik said.
In 2018, crime against people from the northeast decreased by 17.39% with 19 cases being registered as compared to 23 in 2017. Crime against senior citizens also saw a decline of 31.46% from 89 cases last year to 61 in 2017.
A total of 991 criminals were arrested last year as compared to 699 in 2017 — an increase of 41%. The police said that 168 criminals, with a reward on their head, were arrested, including one with ₹15 lakh announced for his arrest.
