March, 16 2005	Wednesday	5 Safar 1426

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VEHARI, March 15: Crime rate in the district has assumed an alarming proportion mainly owing to the refusal of most of the station house officers to register cases and failure of their bosses to check such malpractices.

Some of the victims of this attitude of the district police confided to Dawn that the higher officials mostly fail to take action when informed of such behaviour on part of their juniors.

The number of cases registered in various police stations of the district in the second half of 2004 is said to be much less than that in the first half despite a phenomenal increase in crime in the area.

Though the relevant law makes it imperative for the officer in charge of a police station to immediately register a case as soon as a complaint regarding the commission of an offence is lodged with him, yet it is rare in the district that a case gets registered without demands of illegal gratifications on part of the in charges concerned or their front men.

Many victims, on condition of anonymity, complained that almost all the SHOs had fixed rates for lodging of FIRs

according to the nature of crimes. They alleged that in case of a heinous crime the complainant had to arrange a sum of Rs10,000 to 15,000 to get his

complaint registered, while

in cases of crimes of lesser

intensity the amount becomes smaller.

On condition of anonymity, a shopkeeper of Machiwal area alleged that his shop was looted, and the SHO of police station concerned registered a case of theft after receiving Rs5,000 as bribe.

Another victim, Mohammad Saleem of Chak No 24-WB, said while talking to Dawn that his rivals lodged a fake FIR under section 452/354 against him, which Saddar police officials quashed after receiving Rs20,000 as bribe, even when a patch-up was under way.

A number of victims of police corruption do not disclose their stories due to fear of consequences.

Social circles of Vehari have expressed grave concern over the situation and urged the district police chief to take notice of the situation to provide relief to the people.