There was no case of rioting in Guwahati from January to July this year and the overall crime rate in the city decreased by nearly 48 percent during the period, Guwahati Police Commissioner Harmeet Singh said on Thursday.
Singh said 6236 cases of crime were registered during the period compared to 11,293 last year. Cases of murder, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, UA(P)A, and Wild Life (Protection) Act have witnessed increases, while all other types of crimes have declined, Singh said quoting official date.
"This is a significant development for Guwahati police as well as its citizens. While policing has improved, public awareness has also grown gradually," he said. Singh said murder cases have risen to 37 from 30 and those relating to NDPS Act to 151 from 128 during the same period last year. In the case of murders, 90 percent of them were found to have been committed by someone from the victim's known circles.
"The rise in NDPS Act cases is mainly due to the thrust on eliminating drug menace in the state after the new government took charge in May last year. The number of arrests has also increased substantially during the period," he added.
\The Guwahati police, the police commissioner said, has registered one case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and two cases under the Wild Life (Protection) Act. No case was filed under these two laws from January-July, 2021. Singh said kidnapping cases went down to 237 this year from 360 last year, human trafficking to one from two, rape to 39 from 41, molestation to 83 from 187, POCSO and 498(A) of IPC to 225 from 555.
Other crimes like robbery, burglary, theft, extortion, automobile theft, and cheating have also gone down "drastically" and there were no cases of rioting so far in the city this year compared to 12 in the year period. Arson, fake currency, IPC, and IT Act cases have decreased substantially, he said.
The police commissioner said a new integrated traffic management system has been introduced in the city to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Advanced cameras are being used to detect violators and to issue e-challans at 20 junctions on the busy Guwahati-Shillong road.
In the second phase, 30 more traffic junctions will be covered and another 44 will be added in the final phase by March 2023. The total project cost is Rs 78.44 crore, he added.
