Competence in solving cases is all about following leads

The Hyderabad Police Commissioner’s Task Force scores over other wings not due to resources, but due to efficiency of its personnel, writes MARRI RAMU

That the Hyderabad Police Commissioner’s Task Force is better placed with regard to fiscal and human resources over the law and order police is no secret. Availability of vehicles, absence of the burden of routine policing duties like patrolling, and a well-developed network of informants are the TF’s advantages. Their frequent success in busting crimes is naturally attributed to these factors.

It is not just because of better resources that the TF scores, it is also a reflection of the inefficiency of their counterparts in other wings. The recent mysterious disappearance of a vegetable vendor Khaja of First Lancer in Mehdipatnam and eventual confirmation as cold-blooded murder is a classic example.

Forty-year-old Khaja went missing on May 20 after going to Humayunnagar for shopping. Two days later, his wife Farhana complained to the Humayunnagar police. Citing personal animosity, she suspected Jahangir, her younger sister’s husband. The latter used to frequent the vegetable vendor’s house since they are close relatives.

The Humayunnagar police summoned Jahangir and let him off as they couldn’t find any connection between Khaja’s disappearance and him. How vigorously they tried to trace the missing Khaja is not clear, but the TF officials later announced a breakthrough saying Khaja was “murdered by Farhana and Jahangir with whom she had illegal relationship”.

How is it that the TF team cracked the mystery while the Humayunnagar police, who grilled Jahangir, failed to identify his complicity? The woman admitted that she had deliberately blamed Jahangir only to cover up their extra-marital relationship.

Khaja’s case is not exactly a clueless one as his wife had already suspected foul play by Jahangir. Both Khaja and Jahangir use mobile phones and these days, investigators are extensively using call data record analysis to narrow down on suspects.

Humayunnagar police would have stumbled upon important leads had they analysed the mobile phone calls. Farhana lured her husband to Kandukur in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district saying she wanted to meet a ‘Baba’ who had the mystical powers to heal the frequent pain in hands she was suffering. On her instance, the vegetable vendor requested Jahangir to take them to Kandukur on the latter’s bike. In many cases, suspects were tracked by analysing mobile phone calls tower wise. Similar investigation would have hinted at Jahangir and Khaja travelling in the same route.

Making discreet inquiries about missing persons with their family, friends and possible reasons for disappearance is another basic step. The Humayunnagar police would have got a wind of the visits Jahangir made to the victim’s house if only they had bothered to verify with the latter’s neighbours.