LAHORE - The Punjab police performance remained better in 2016 as compared to the last year with regard to maintenance of law and order in 2016 in the province, resulting in downwards trend in graph of crimes of different categories.
According to a spokesman for the Punjab police, looted/stolen items worth around Rs 1,278 million were recovered from 3,006 busted dacoit gangs, 9,177 dacoits, street criminals and thieves. Ransom money of more than Rs 60 million was recovered from kidnappers. Punjab police seized illegal arms and drugs of millions of rupees. Total 79,510 FIRs of crime against property were registered in 2016 while 82,657 such FIRs were registered in 2015 in whole Punjab. As for the cases of kidnapping for ransom, only 33 such case were reported in 2016 as compared to 81 in 2015. Similarly, the number of murder during dacoity cases decreased by 21 percent, in 2015, 176 such cases were reported whereas in 2016 the cases reported were 139. Dacoity and robbery incidents lessened by 39 percent, 1520 such cases were registered in 2015, while the number of such cases in 2016 was only 923. Fifty percent less bank dacoity were recorded in year 2016 as only 18 such incidents took place in comparison to 36 such reported cases in 2015. Likewise, 50 per cent less patrol stations and jewelry shops were looted, in 2015 there were 115 cases of patrol station dacoity whereas the number reduced to only 56 incidents in 2016. While 26 jewelry shop dacoity incidents were reported in 2015 but only 13 such incidents happened in 2016. Twenty two per cent less motor vehicles were taken away in 2016 in comparison to such incidents in 2015 as 4,550 motor vehicle snatching cases were reported in 2015 but 3,550 such incidents were reported in 2016. Theft cases decreased by 17 percent as 13,487 cases were registered in 2016 in comparison to 16,214 cases in the previous year. A notable decline in motor cycle theft cases was also observed throughout the year as 13,030 motor cycles were stolen last year and the number decreased to 11,854 in 2016. Murder incidents were decreased by nine percent as 4,481 murder cases were reported in 2015 while 4,081 persons were murdered in incidents in 2016. Riot cases were reduced by 25 percent as only 24 such cases were reported in 2016 in comparison to 32 such incidents in 2015. Most importantly, no incidents of murder on the basis of sectarian conflicts was seen. Eleven percent decline in incidents of attempted murder was recorded as 4,253 such cases were recorded in 2016 in comparison to 4,805 in 2015. The trend of assault on public servants decreased by three percent as the cases reported in 2015 were 1,791 and 1,742 in 2016. The number of registered cases of the crimes based on religious grounds was 197 in 2015 and 144 in 2016, which shows a decrease of 27 percent. Due to stringent actions of Punjab Police, four percent decline in cases of extortion was recorded as the number of such cases decreased to 2,35 in 2016 from 302 in 2015. Almost all of the culprits involved in such cases were apprehended. Ten percent decline in cases of motor vehicles theft was recorded as such cases decreased to 14,710 in 2016 from 16,416 in 2015. The number of break-in cases decreased by nine percent as 10,644 cases were registered in 2016 in comparison to 11,714 cases in the previous year. The crimes cases registered under PPC 382 decreased by 18 percent as the cases reported in 2015 were 1,556 and in 2016, the number was 1,275. Cattle theft cases reduced by eight percent as 5,380 such cases were registered in 2015 and 4,947 in 2016. Six percent decline in cases of possession and exhibition of illegal arms was recorded since such cases decreased to 33,968 in 2016 from 36,320 in 2015. The cases registered under Hudood Ordinance decreased by one percent as the cases reported in 2015 were 47,819 and in 2016, the number was 47,200.
An increase in abduction cases was seen in Punjab during 2016 when the parents of runaway children registered cases for child abduction. The Punjab police took prompt action to tackle the situation and more than 95 percent of the missing children reached their homes, the police spokesman concluded.
(The News)
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