Murder, theft cases ebb in garrison city

Police unveil crime report, highlighting challenges in maintaining law & order

RAWALPINDI:

As the curtain fell on the year 2023, the Rawalpindi police unveiled a comprehensive crime report, shedding light on the challenges faced and the notable achievements made in maintaining law and order.

Despite a spectrum of criminal activities ranging from street theft to serious offences like murder, the diligent efforts of the police demonstrated improvements over the course of the year.

Street-level crimes accounted for 4,612 reported incidents, encompassing various infractions such as 35 cases of robbery, a substantial 4,599 cases of armed robbery, 786 cases of car and motorbike snatching, and a staggering 8,000-plus cases of motorcycle theft. Delving into more severe offences, the crime report outlined 572 cases of attempted murder, 295 cases of murder, and 32 instances of murder occurring during the instances of armed robberies.

Additionally, the report highlighted 45 rape cases involving male victims and 66 cases with female victims, along with 334 reported incidents of injuries.

The Rawalpindi police responded to these challenges in an effective manner, leading to the arrest of 17,758 accused individuals.

Among them, 980 were suspected to be involved in 380 cases of organised crime and criminal gangs. The police's proactive measures resulted in the recovery of 150 stolen vehicles, over 1,450 motorcycles, and items valued at more than Rs730 million.

Examining the crime rate performance for the first and the last six months of 2023, a noteworthy 64% drop in major crimes in the city was recorded in the latter half.

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Murder cases exhibited a 28% decrease, with 172 cases in the first half and 123 in the latter. Attempted murder cases, numbering 572, led to the arrest of 840 accused individuals.

The report underlined successful operations against dangerous dacoit gangs, contributing to a 54% reduction in robbery-murder cases. The tally dropped from 22 cases in the first six months to 10 cases in the latter half.

Armed robbery cases witnessed a significant 53% decrease, falling from 3,138 in the first half to 1,461 in the latter.

Crackdowns on major gangs yielded positive results, with a 37% reduction in vehicle snatching and a 22% decrease in motorcycle snatching.

The police's efforts against car lifter gangs culminated in the recovery of 150 vehicles, resulting in a remarkable 53% decrease in car theft. Parallel operations against bike lifter gangs led to the recovery of approximately 1,450 bikes, contributing to a 30% drop in bike theft cases.

Turning the spotlight on street crimes, 4,612 cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 1,927 accused individuals. Additionally, 334 cases of damages were reported, with 804 arrests.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2024.