E-Paper
FIRs in 75 years, Dodra-Kwar trusts deities over police, courts
About 19,500 FIRs registered in Himachal Pradesh last year; faith in local deities make Shimla’s remote villages safe spots
Himachal Pradesh reported about 19,500 crime cases last year but only a single first information report (FIR) was registered in Dodra-Kwar in Shimla district. Located in Chanshal Valley, 215km from the state capital, this remote region, comprising nine villages, has seen only seven FIRs being registered since Independence. The reason: The faith of villagers in local deities, who they trust in resolving their disputes instead of approaching the police.
Rohru sub divisional police officer Chaman Lal says that the seven cases reported from Dodra-Kwar in the past 75 years are of petty quarrels. The last FIR was registered in May 2021 under Section 279 (rash and negligent driving), 337 (causing hurt by rash and negligent driving), 192 (punishment for driving an unregistered vehicle or RC of which has been suspended), and 196 (driving an uninsured vehicle) of the Indian Penal Code.
“The people of Dodra-Kwar live in harmony. They have unflinching faith in their deities, who act as mediator or judge. There are few disputes and they are resolved them by sitting across the table. People know going to the police or the court is a waste of time and money,” says Mahender Basu, a resident of Kwar village.
Remote and isolated
The nearest civil court at Chirgaon is 75km away. Dodra-Kwar falls under the jurisdiction of the Chirgaon police station. A police post was set up at Kwar village in 2016 with three police personnel. The area remains cut off from the rest of the state for six months with the first spell of snow usually in November. In summer, the region bordering tribal Kinnaur district and Uttarakhand is accessible through a mountainous road that meanders through the 4,520m Chanshal Pass.
Himachal Pradesh director general of police Sanjay Kundu says, “The low registration of cases reflects how people can live in harmony. Being remote and isolated, Dodra Kwar has single-digit registration of crime. But once Chanshal develops as a ski resort, the situation may change.”
Safer in tribal areas
Unlike Dodra-Kwar, other tribal areas of the state have a considerable rate of crime. Even Lahaul-Spiti sees an average of six FIRs registered every month. In Kaza, the district’s headquarters, only 24 FIRs were registered in 2022. Similarly, 27 were registered at Kheri in Chamba district, which shares its boundary with Jammu. Twenty-four FIRS were registered in remote Pangi in Chamba district.
In Kinnaur, though the crime graph is low, an average of three FIRs are registered in a month, while Sangla valley saw 54 FIRs registered last year.
McLeodganj, the Buddhist learning centre and abode of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama since 1959, registered only 45 FIRs in 2022, while the police post in the remote Kupvi tehsil of Chopal in Shimla district registered 55 FIRs.
Kullu, Una vulnerable
Kullu Sadar police station accounted for the maximum number of 463 FIRs last year followed by Una Sadar with 428 cases.
“Being tourist hubs, Kullu and Manali police stations see more cases. We have recommended to the state government to establish a police station near the South Portal of Atal Tunnel at Rohtang as it has become a round-the-year tourist favourite destination,” says the DGP.
Police records show that of the 19,500 FIRs registered in the state every year, 14,000 are under the Indian Penal Code and 5,500 under local and special laws.
Rise in crime
The state has 2,973 priosners of whom 933 are convicted and 2,040 under trial.
A total of 18,833 crime cases were registered in 2021, while 19,053 cases were recorded in 2022. Most cases were of murder or attempt to murder following disputes over land and personal enmity. “In general, sudden provocation after an altercation was the main reason for most of the murders and attempt to murder cases,” Kundu said.
An analysis of the reasons of registered cases showed no organised gang is operating in the state.
