Security audit, background check of servants can curb crimes: Cop

The arrest of domestic help in connection with the murder of Mittal couple has once again underscored the fact that a background check of servants, before hiring them, is of utmost importance.

The arrest of domestic help in connection with the murder of Mittal couple has once again underscored the fact that a background check of servants, before hiring them, is of utmost importance.

Psychologist Rekha Arya says domestic helps find it easier to commit crimes after they gain trust of people they work for.

This is not to argue that all servants are untrustworthy as there are hundreds of working devotedly, but from the point of view of the police, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Additional SP Rakesh Singh said, “We are starting a complete security audit of all residential colonies and also those living alone. This will include verifying the mobile number of the person entering the premises and crossing checking with the person the purpose of the visit. This is rarely done,” says ASP Singh.

Other steps include address and identity verification of all domestic helps — be it drivers, servants, guards etc by submitting their details at the nearest police station. “We will also ensure that the local thana lax in accepting the details and verifying them, face action,” he said.

Even though providing information of servants, tenants etc is covered under Section 144 of CrPC it is rarely enforced until a crime takes place.

A senior police official said that not more than 10 per cent of the people of Indore have bothered to furnish details about their servant. “The rich are often hesitant to walk into a police station to fill the necessary forms. It hurts their ego,” he said.

However, ASP Singh said that he expects better compliance this time owing to the recent murder incident.

Psychologist Rekha Arya says domestic helps find it easier to commit crimes after they gain trust of people they work for. “Old people need emotional support, which they often do not get from their children. By serving them, the maids provide the much-needed emotional support.”

“It is never possible to gauge the intention of servants. They might have pre-planned the crime, or they might have come up with it later. But it has been noticed that if someone has got away with a small crime, he is likely to attempt a bigger one next time,” she said.

Slow poisoning the helpless

Case-1 ( December 2009):

Amrita Pancholi, a 32-year-old professor of a business school, was found murdered on campus on December 18. Her driver Anil Patel had killed her brutally.

Case 2 ( December 2012) :

Kirit Thakkar (67) and his wife Varsha Thakkar (59) were bludgeoned to death with an iron rod by unknown killers at Scheme Number 114 on December 4, 2012. The police are clear that a servant, hired a few days back, was behind the murder. But no credentials of the servants are available with the family.

Case-3 (2012):

Vijay Jaisinghnia, a resident of Paliwal Nagar in Palasia area, had kept Mansi as domestic help who left the job after 20 days. About a week after, Vijay opened the locker of his almirah and found cash, jewellery worth over `5 lakh missing. The servant is at large.

Case 4 - March 2013:

Bodies of Sharad Agrawal (50) and his wife Jyoti Agrawal (45) were found with stab wounds and strangulation marks in separate rooms at their farmhouse in Martand Nagar. Their gardener Sukhlal Kori (25) had killed the couple because of past grudges and a robbery plan.

Case 5 - August 17, 2016:

Savitri Devi (69) sister-in-law of ex-MLA Ramlal Yadav was murdered by a domestic help.

Case 6 - November, 2016; Murder of Shrichand Mittal (74) and Shanti (68) at their house in D B City. The couple was killed by domestic help Manoj Choudhary and his accomplice Dharmendra Rajput.