Rape cases dip, murder cases rise in Delhi in 1st quarter of 2017

New Delhi: The first quarter of 2017 under new Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik has seen an increase in the number of murders, attempts to murder, burglary and theft in the national capital.

The Delhi Police data, however, showed that crimes against women have gone down with 376 registered rape cases as against the 406 in the first quarter of 2016.

In comparison to the corresponding period last year, murder and attempt to murder cases went up from 97 and 114 to 103 and 123 respectively till March 15, 2017.

Cases of crime against women witnessed a dip from 3,103 to 2,421. 630 cases of assault on women with an intent of molestation were registered as against last year's 843, while the number of cases of outraging the modesty of a woman stood at 123 as against 196 till March 15, 2016.

687 cases of minor girls being abducted were reported as against 676 last year. The cases of abduction of women witnessed a sharp fall from 102 last year to 65 this year.

Cases of cruelty by husband and in-laws too recorded a steep decline from 849 to 506.

However, cases of dowry death and those registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act rose from 29 and 2 to 31 and 3 respectively.

The total number of cases registered under various heads, including heinous crimes, jumped from 36,781 in last year's first quarter to 52,109 in 2017.

Robbery cases though witnessed a sharp fall from 1,197 last year to 683 this year. The number of snatching cases too decreased from 2,164 to 1,798.

Police officers claimed that better policing and patrolling resulted in the dip in robberies in the city.

The cases of kidnapping for ransom also registered a decline this year.

Cases of vehicle theft too witnessed a slight decrease in the first quarter of 2017. As compared to 7,911 last year, 7,811 cases of vehicle theft were registered this year.

The first quarter of 2017 also saw a sharp fall in the number of fatal accident cases. 345 of such cases were reported till March 15, 2016, which fell to 261 this year.

Other accident cases also saw a decrease from 1,224 in 2016 to 1,164 this year.