Cases of rape and chain snatching in the city may have caught the attention of the people and are even discussed in the legislature, but it is the number of kidnappings that have gone up in 2015.
With 772 cases recorded this year, it is the only type of crime that has seen an increase this year. According to police statistics, kidnappings/abductions have increased by 11 per cent as compared to 2014. Over the years though, the number has increased by a steep 35 per cent.
“But unlike in other metros, most cases are not carried out by professional gangs. In a majority, the culprits are either relatives or acquaintances,” said P. Harishekharan Additional Commissioner of Police (West).
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Barely two weeks ago, a 25-year-old man abducted his younger brother and demanded Rs. 5 crore from his father in Byatarayanapura. The elder brother had fallen into a debt trap and hatched the plot to extort some money from his well-off sibling.
In many cases, the victims are minors.
In February, an acquaintance kidnapped an eight-year-old boy for ransom in Byatarayanapura while an 18-month-old boy was kidnapped by a relative and sold to a Belagavi couple for Rs. 80,000. On September 24, a former software engineer kidnapped a 6-year-old child, who was his relative. Tragically, one case in D.J. Halli ended with the deaths of three children – aged between 4 and 8 years – in September. The culprit was their mother’s paramour who wanted ‘revenge’ after being rejected.
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In another case, a gang of five tailors turned to adduction to make up for their losses in business. They abducted a 30-year-old software engineer at gun-point and demanded Rs. 20 lakhs from his wife. The police eventually found the engineer semi-conscious in the boot of a car.
Meanwhile, The spate of chain snatchings has not only had top officers in a twist, but also featured in a discussion in the Vidhana Soudha. However, statistics show a decrease in the number of chain snatching cases.
After the peak of 483 cases last year, the number came down to 332 this year. In most cases, men target women in isolated streets, grab their necklaces and speed off in a bike. Also, there is a steep fall in murder cases. The 184 cases recorded this year is nearly 25 per cent less than last year and the lowest in the past six years.
With 772 cases, kidnapping is the only crime that has seen an increase this year