Delhi recorded over 15 per cent rise in crime in 2021 as compared to the previous year, Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday, noting that the increase in crime rate was due to less number of cases being lodged during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Citing data, police said 3,06,389 cases were reported in 2021 as compared to 2,66,070 cases the previous year.

According to the data, 5,740 heinous crime cases were reported in 2021 as compared to 5,413 cases in 2020. Last year, 2,87,563 cases were registered under 'other IPC sections' (theft, robbery, burglary), 2,93,303 cases under 'total IPC' (heinous and theft) and 13,086 cases were lodged under 'local and special laws' (arms-related crime, NDPS). Nearly 70 per cent of the crimes reported in 2021 were of burglary, robbery and theft, police said.

In 2020, 7,965 cases of snatching were reported and in 2021, 9,383 such cases were registered, an increase of 15 per cent. There was also a 13 per cent rise in arrests in snatching cases. Arrests increased by 17 per cent in 2021 as compared to 2020. In 2021, a total of 1,47,115 arrests were made as compared to 1,25,986 in the previous year, the data said. Murder cases decreased by 3 per cent from 459 in 2021 to 472 in 2020 in the national capital. Police arrested 1,050 people in connection with murder cases as compared to 1,015 in previous year, it said.

The number of attempt to murder cases increased by 35 per cent from 485 in 2020 to 655 last year. Police arrested 1,629 people in connection with these cases which is 45 per cent higher than 1,126 in 2020, the data stated. According to police, 9,383 cases of snatching were registered in 2021 as compared to 7,695 in 2020 which is 17.80 per cent higher.

There were 17 cases of kidnapping for ransom last year and all of them were solved. In 2020, 11 cases were filed which were all solved. The? percentage of extortion cases solved was 87 in 2021 as a total of 170 cases were lodged, compared to 120 cases in the previous year, it said. The use of firearms has also gone down by nine per cent in murder, attempt to murder and dacoity/robbery cases, the data said. There was a 9 per cent increase in crimes against senior citizens in 2021 during which 41,113 such cases were registered, police added.

The Delhi Police said a total of 15,146 PCR calls were received in 2021 and 2,359 cases were filed for robbery and dacoity. The number of PCR calls and cases were 11,790 and 1,972 respectively in 2020. A total of 21 major gangs active in outlying districts of Delhi were identified and in 2021, seven dreaded criminals were neutralised, they said. To control crime in the city, Asthana said the force has adapted three strategies which include tactical analysis, proactive policing and comprehensive action. The official said he believes proactive policing is more important than reactive policing. "Our primary crime control strategy is to prevent crimes in the first place," he said.

With PTI Inputs