Batallion to check post-midnight crimes

The Delhi Police has decided to press its reserves into service to help the local police curb thefts, vehicle thefts and burglaries, most of which happen in the dead of night.

The Delhi Police has decided to press its reserves into service to help the local police curb thefts, vehicle thefts and burglaries, most of which happen in the dead of night.

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Statistics show that 52% of these crimes take place between 2am and 5am, when the police presence is at its thinnest.

"Though calls to the police control room see a significant drop at night, an analysis of this year's crime figures has revealed that more than half the crimes like thefts, burglary and dacoity occur in the wee hours. So we have made special arrangements to check these by creating dedicated battalions that will patrol sensitive areas at night," Delhi Police commissioner BK Gupta told Hindustan Times.

He said the first such battalion has been stationed in east Delhi where gangs of Bangladeshi origin are suspected to be behind most instances of thefts and burglary.

"This battalion patrols the entire perimeter of the district along the railway lines and keeps an eye out for suspicious persons. They have been roped in to intensify and assist the local police in night patrolling," said a senior police officer.

While 567 robberies were reported in 2010 as opposed to 484 last year, dacoities saw a mere drop of two cases with 31 cases getting registered instead of 33 in 2009.

"We will son be procuring more PCR vans that will further strengthen beat policing in various areas such as east, southwest and outer Delhi. Our focus is gradually shifting to increasing police presence on the ground level regardless of time of day and area," the commissioner added.