RAWALPINDI: Criminal activity has gone up in Rawalpindi district for the last three months as the police officers could not draw a comprehensive strategy to take action against the criminals.

According to a three-month (Jan-March) review of crime incidents, 74 people were killed, including six gunned down for offering resistance to robbers, compared to 55 who were murdered, including five killed by robbers, in the corresponding period of 2018.

Police claimed to have busted several criminal gangs and resolved to pin down others involved in drug peddling and other crimes but vehicle lifting incidents seem to have been out of control with 185 cars stolen in the city compared to 107 vehicles taken away in the first three months of last year.

74 people were killed since January, police record says

The most worrisome for the citizens was motorcycle snatching incidents as 195 bikes were stolen and 29 snatched at gunpoint during the period compared to 137 stolen and 23 snatched at gunpoint during Jan and March 2018.

Besides cars and motorcycles, 54 other vehicles were taken away compared to 34 during the three months of 2018.

Like other officers, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ahmed Ishaq Jehangir had soon after assuming the charge held a meeting with his top aides, including the city police officer (CPO) and the city traffic officer in early March and discussed the surge in crimes, traffic gridlocks and the menace of begging.

Expressing concern over the surge in street crime, the RPO had directed the police officers to chalk out a fresh strategy regarding patrolling of Dolphin Force so that it could be effectively used to check the crime.

But the police could not evolve a strategic plan to check criminals who have been actively operating in the city with no letup in armed robberies.

At least 158 robberies were reported in the city in which a large sum of money was looted at gunpoint compared to 127 such cases reported in the same period last year.

Other crimes that took place in the district were even more shocking.

A total of 5,256 cases were reported to the police in the first three months of 2019 compared to 4,568 in the same period in 2018.

People lost their property worth millions of rupees in armed robberies, burglaries and thefts.

However, there was a decrease in burglary and general theft cases from 142 in 2018 to 117 in 2019.

There was also a fall in kidnapping of women as 93 women were abducted this year compared to 110 reported last year. However, one case of kidnapping for ransom was reported during the current year.

Some 18 cases of rape and 19 cases of child molestation were reported this year compared to 15 cases of rape and 20 incidents of child molestation between Jan and March 2018.

A senior citizen said the RPO had issued directives soon after assuming the charge to his subordinates to improve the crime situation. Now he should himself observe if there has been any change in the crime rate, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2019