Top cop orders DCPs to meet victims of snatching personally

With increasing number of complaints that snatching cases are not getting registered, Delhi police chief has asked deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) of all 11 districts to contact victims on their own. Faizan Haider reports.

With increasing number of complaints that snatching cases are not getting registered, Delhi police chief has asked deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) of all 11 districts to contact victims on their own.

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The district DCPs have been directed to meet snatching victims personally and make sure cases get registered. Senior police officers feel snatching is one crime that most creates a sense of insecurity among common man.

"We don't mind if the crime figure goes up but the complainant should be satisfied. We have initiated a series of measures to combat street crimes. There were complaints that officers at police stations avoid snatching victims. So, we have directed DCPs to call victims and meet them personally," said BK Gupta, Delhi police commissioner.

In the first six months of this year, snatching cases have come down from 856 in 2010 to 715 in 2011.

But it is the unsolved snatching cases, which worry the department, as nearly 50% of such cases remain unsolved every year. In 2010, 53.50% cases were solved, while this year, till June 30, police was able to solve only 55.73% cases.

However, the common man is not satisfied. Most blamed lower level staff for not arresting snatchers.

"My wife went to pick up my son from school when snatchers attacked her in Mangolpuri. This happened two months ago. Despite visiting the police station a number of times, there was no breakthrough in the case," said Rajender Sharma (name changed), a resident of Mangolpuri.