What makes Delhiites kill?

A man murdered his neighbour for kicking his dog at Ranhola village in Outer Delhi. Another was killed for breaking the queue at a public toilet in Civil Lines, north Delhi. New Friends Colony in south Delhi witnessed murder when a man refused to let another make a call from his cellphone.

A man murdered his neighbour for kicking his dog at Ranhola village in Outer Delhi. Another was killed for breaking the queue at a public toilet in Civil Lines, north Delhi. New Friends Colony in south Delhi witnessed murder when a man refused to let another make a call from his cellphone.

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The Delhi Police registered 523 cases of murder last year against 528 in 2008. Of these, 15 per cent were due to ‘sudden provocation’, legalese for Delhi’s infamous bad temper, while 17 per cent were passion-related. Only 16 per cent were committed with criminal intent.

“Last year saw some of the most bizarre murders as far as motive was concerned,” Y.S Dadwal, commissioner of police, had said at the Annual Police Conference on January 2.

Psychiatrists believe lack of a proper outlet for anger, as well as the absence of basic information on anger management is to blame. “Many things — from machismo to impulsiveness, part of every metro’s

culture — are behind such cases,” said Dr Rajesh Sagar, senior psychiatrist, AIIMS.