‘Data on crimes against women not true’

Rubbishing media claims that crimes in the city against women are on the rise, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) DCP S N Sidramappa on Thursday advised them not to believe the records furnished by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

“Do not comment without studying the statistics. The National Crime Records Bureau counts even cases filed under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act as crimes against women. That is the reason for the high numbers,” he claimed.

The DCP was speaking on behalf of City Police Commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji at an interaction programme organised by FKCCI here on Thursday. “There were not more than 15 cases of professional rape in the city in the past one year. I do not have the exact statistics, but there cannot be more than 15. Most cases are those of elopement,” he said.

Stating that the NCRB data could not be relied upon, Sidramappa said that the Police Department is now looking at making its own database of crimes against women. Interestingly, the NCRB data shows that in 2011, the city recorded 1,890 instances of crime against women. Also, in 74 cases out of a total of 97 rape cases reported in 2011, victims were in the age group of 18 to 30 years.

Sidramappa also said that the department is taking action against police staff who refuse to register cases.  They are also making rules for hotel owners to record addresses and contact numbers of people staying with them stricter.

Referring to the cracking down on bars which flout rules and serve customers on the road, the DCP said that he himself had written to the Excise Department to cancel the licenses of such bars. “They do not listen to us. Not even one bar’s licence is suspended,” he regretted.

He also called on the industry bodies to come forward with donations of HD CCTV cameras. “We are extremely short staffed. There is a policeman for  1,000 people,” he stated.