Robbery cases fall as GRP’s detection rate touches 90 per cent

The number of robberies registered till September this year was 45, as against 501 cases in the same period last year.

Incidents of robberies including chain snatchings on local trains fell after the Government Railway Police (GRP) took several measures to curb crimes and improved their detection rate. The number of robberies registered till September this year was 45, as against 501 cases in the same period last year.

The Government Railway Police took several measures to curb crimes and improved their detection rate this year. (Vijayanand Gupta/Hindustan Times)

The railway crime branch began a crackdown after these cases shot up, and their thorough investigation led to detection of 43 of the 45 cases registered. The railway crime branch officials also recovered gold valuables worth Rs13.90 lakh from the robbed valuables which were worth Rs14.94 lakh which amounted to 93 percent recovery, sources revealed.

The crime branch studied modus of the crimes and found that most of these crimes took place between Dadar-Kanjurmarg and Kalyan-Badlapur stations on central line, Mankhurd-Govandi belt on harbor line and Borivali-Andheri, Vasai-Nalasopara stretch on the western line.

“The crimes had a pattern of gap of days and change of railway stations that was identified, and teams were formed to nab the offenders. After keeping watch on these stations, plain clothed personnel managed to nab the accused, including those who had come from other states. Many of these persons were women robbers,” said a crime branch officer.

Improved detection and recovery from arrested accused has acted as a deterrent to curb the crime. Among other steps taken by the GRP is preventive action of externing habitual criminals from the jurisdiction.

Over 30 criminals with two or more convictions have been externed from the jurisdiction of railways and five neighbouring districts between August and September.

While speaking to Hindustan Times on the preventive action, GRP commissioner Niket Kaushik said, “A detailed study of the habitual criminals operating here is being conducted on the basis of their past record. We are categorizing them as convicts, chargesheeted offenders and those who are only booked without falling in the earlier two categories.”

Even keeping the habitual offenders away from the jurisdiction is also helping in getting the crime down since almost all the criminals are recidivists.