City crime rate up by 15%

Over 100,000 crimes reported so far this year across Lahore

LAHORE:

The crime rate in the provincial capital has increased by about 15% with the number of cases registered in police stations across the city during the first 10 months of the current year crossing 100,000.

According to official record, the number of cases registered in the city’s 84 police stations in the first 10 months of 2019 was around 88,000.

The police have not been able to prepare a permanent policy to curb street crimes, theft, robbery and other crimes through coordination between their officers.

The record shows that
290 people have been killed in the city during the current year.

Robbers killed 23 people over resistance during robbery. More than 2,300 incidents of robbery were reported. Nine cases of kidnapping for ransom were registered, while cars were snatched from 10 people. Robbers also snatched motorcycles from 356 people.

The number of motorcycle and car theft dropped by 30% as compared to last year.

However, cases of gang rape have risen alarmingly. The number of cases reached 28, up from 12 registered last year.

Another 17 cases of rape of women and 17 of child abuse were also registered. The number of rape cases of minor girls was 15.

Since January this year, 445 cases of firing into the air have been registered.

The crime rate increased despite the fact that the coronavirus pandemic led to a complete lockdown of the city by police for nearly two months. Police checkpoints were set up on main roads, while the markets, shopping malls, restaurants, recreational places and other public spots were shut for four months, restricting the citizens’ unnecessary travel and staying out at night, but the incidents of crime did not decline.

SHOs of some police stations in the city blamed a lack of clarity about policies among the officers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2020.