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Crime snapshot of the year

Mumbai was not such a great place to be in in 2012. A survey by Praja Foundation finds out more.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Part 1 of our Yearender Dairies

It’s not often that you can actually measure how secure you feel in a given place. But the Praja Foundation has done just that – brought out a white paper after carrying out a survey in Mumbai and measured, in terms of percentages, how secure people in the city feel, after alarming spikes in crime rates this year.

As per a survey conducted across 15,191 correspondents in Mumbai, Praja Foundation has compiled statistics that are grim, at best. For instance, 25 per cent of people surveyed felt unsafe in Mumbai this year. Only 20 per cent of respondents from North East Mumbai who said they felt safe in the city, while 41 per cent of respondents from North Central Mumbai said they felt safe when travelling from one place to another within Mumbai.

The Foundation further notes that “of the total 71,425 cases filed in Mumbai in 2011-12, 18 per cent (a total of 12,762) cases are related to serious offences. Of this, only 45 per cent (a total of 5,772) cases were sent for trial. The rest are pending investigation. And of those that went for trial, only 10 per cent got a conviction. It is indeed shocking to learn that of the 1,61,528 cases gone into trial, the acquittal rate was a shocking 83 per cent!”

And if you blame lack of political will in getting criminals punished, or indeed, talked about, you may be right. The Foundation reveals that Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the North Central Mumbai zone were guilty of raising only 65 questions during the Monsoon 2011, Winter 2011 and Budget 2012 Sessions of the State Legislature; this zone also has the highest incidence of crime in the city, at 6,736 cases. MLAs from this region are Krishnakumar Hegde, Milind Kamble, Prakash Sawant, Kripashankar Singh and Baba Siddiqui.

A lack of strong policing was also found to be a key issue – of 71,425 cases, 18 per cent (ie 12,762) cases were related to Class II (Serious offences, such as murder, rape, abduction, grievous hurt, kidnapping, etc.) and were investigated in 2011. Of these, investigations were completed in only 6,515 cases.

‘Diaries’ is a series of stories on one theme. The Yearender Diaries seeks to capture the most telling moments, happenings and people in the city this year. Watch out for Event of the Year tomorrow.

(All figures are from Praja Foundation. Picture courtesy gawker.com)

 

 

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Spin A Yarn: Because he doesn’t like it

Mohsina Ahmad’s tweet-story was a short spin on a girl missing the days when she didn’t have a jealous lover.

Mohsina Ahmad, 28, does business development for a New Media company. She says, “What I liked about the contest was the interesting concept of the challenge and the entertaining stories that were spun.” She likes stories “with a twist, and no, not like the plot in Talaash. I lean towards Jeffrey Archer.” Her interests, apart from writing, are “travelling and cinema. Also, wishful thinking.” Mohsina won a Special Mention for her effort.

Her yarn went like this: “It hadn’t always been like this. Well, at least for the last two years…

I still remember the days when I could look at the handsome ones all around me without getting that glare of disgust from him.

When I could compliment or praise the fine bone structures or superior grooming on other males without any guilt.

The days when I couldn’t resist playfully feeling ’em and yearning to be around and play longer.

And then Cooger came into my life, he makes me very happy, but doesn’t like it when I am friendly with other dogs. That’s All.”

(Picture courtesy donjuaninc.com)

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Spin A Yarn – The ‘inspired’ musician

Pankaj Ahuja’s tweet-story might actually explain a certain thieving Bollywood musician’s modus operandi. Who knows, it may just be true…

Pankaj Ahuja, 27, is a real estate consultancy owner. He says he loved the open-ended starting line that we provided. “I have only been writing poems since age 10. Apart from writing, I like travelling and trying out new food. And I can read minds,” he grins. He won a Special Mention for his effort.

Pankaj’s yarn went like this: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times…

Best times coz his music in bollywood was getting all the awards in every award function.

Worst coz the musicians he copied were all taking a retirement.

He had no clue on where and how he would come up with new stuff as ‘inspiration’ for his next movies.

Sum1 told him to visit a famous baba to find a solution of his problem, who asked him to cut his hair short.

But these long hair were always his protector from public and other artists he copied, to hide away from them.

His hair were specially designed by Dr. Batra’s advance hair growth medicines to save him from public glare.

Time to move to another solution which was to remix his bollywood songs to down south indian movies.

But then he later realised that they have rajnikant who already gave inspiration to international artists.

So that idea was scrapped too. Family frnd recco going to himalayas for new inspiration and way out.

There was special area assigned to artists from al the world facing such issues of nt getting ‘inspiring’ stuff.

With his hair do and look, he got mistaken by everywhere around as the music baba they came to see for inspiration.

This was his opportunity to encash this mistake done by other international artists around him.

He showed them on how he worked to take inspiration from others and made it big, he taught them his secret.

The last day was practical time, where he asked everyone to show him what they have learnt so far b4 heading home.

Once everyone was done, he said ‘Bravo’ and asked them to meditate one last time.

As and when they all opened their eyes, he was no where to be seen, and all the ‘pratical’ stuff done was gone too.

His aim to get inspiration turned great as he returned home with ready tracked waiting 2turn in2 bollywood songs.

So while movie director copied scenes for *cough* barfi *cough*, this music director matched the same.

See you at Bollywood award functions in 2013.”

(Picture courtesy themusicshelf.com)

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Spin A Yarn: A very cool yogi

Silverlightgal’s tweet-story was an amusing take on a boy’s disoriented confusion and how his mind plays funny tricks on him.

Silverlightgal (that’s how she chooses to identity herself) didn’t even board her train till she finished tweeting her story for Spin A Yarn! After it was over, she told The Metrognome that she really enjoyed participating and “would have made it (her story) much better but the time pressure was unnerving.” She won a Special Mention for her effort.

Her yarn went like this: “It hadn’t always been like this. Well, at least for the last two years…

It all started on a Sunday morning .

That Sunday, he felt something strange happening. He couldn’t explain it to himself let alone to ppl around him.

He dreamed of things, saw vision-like hallucinations, felt he was walking on clouds, and air even.

Day by day it was getting bizarre and eerie. Who would have believed him? Just 2 years ago he was fine.

Was he going insane? Or was it a spiritual experience? Was he dead already, in heaven now? So much confusion.

The old man deduced his plight & confusion without him saying a word. Be calm, boy, it will all fall in place.

said the old man, in a soothing manner. The old man’s presence brought him some relief but when he was gone.

the confusion and doubts returned. To divert himself, he tried the intricate poses he’d seen in the books.

1 day smthing funny happened. Even he had to laugh at what took place.He got stuck in one of the poses and had to

be pulled out from the pose, by 3 people! His head, arms, neck, feet, everything’d become entangled so badly

that he looked like a ball of wool badly mangled by an angry kitten. When they finally managed to disentangle him

all were so relieved that they laughed and laughed for hours. They said he looked radiant when he smiled.

There were moments like these but most days it was all bizarre. And to think it was all so diffrnt few yrs back.

He’d come down to India from Spain to meet a guru and learn yoga and since then his life was changed forever.

Sure he’d learnt yoga but he’d also unknowingly picked up ganja & many other things. Now his life was changed.

Even today you can find him loitering abt in hills of Rishikesh, murmuring, sometimes striking a cool yoga pose.”

(Picture courtesy antaratma.photoshelter.com)

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Spin A Yarn – The cricket dream

Aniruddha Pathak’s tweet-story was about a budding cricketer trying to fight corruption, and whose well-laid plan goes really, really well.

Aniruddha Pathak, 30, is a finance professional. He is an Andheri resident. His story won him a Special Mention.

Aniruddha’s yarn went like this: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times…

He had seen India win the World Cup and then get a thrashing from England and Australia.

Cricket fascinated him, studies didn’t. After all it was the cricket ground where he met her.

Cricket selectors were seeking bribe. Anna awakened the nation. It was an ethical matter. He wanted this bad.

Sharing Vada Pav with his girlfriend he seeked her opinion. She refused. He knew cricket was his only chance.

He decided to pay bribe. Money was not the problem. Problem was asking dad for it. His pal ravi had a plan.

Ravi got a huge bag full of notes. Off they went to the selector. It was their chance for glory.

Selector accepted the money. They came back and now was the time for glory. Open www dot youtube dot com.

It was right there in front of everyone. Sting operation had worked. 3 million hits overnight. He had done it.

The notes were fake. They had exposed how corrupt the selectors were. TV channels were after him.

His dad was proud of him. He got his ticket for London to join his dream cricket academy. The nation lost a talent.”

(Picture courtesy ibnlive.com)

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Spin A Yarn – A wild shaadi

Shifa Maitra scripted the story of a girl who gets exactly what she wants – the fun and the prize.

Shifa Maitra’s Twitter bio reads: ‘Part time writer, full time television professional. Friends, films, books, family, music, food, travel, theatre….people, life. Am on a high!’ She won a Special Mention for her effort.

Shifa’s yarn went like this: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….

My best friend was getting married and her husband was my ex lover.

He was hot and she was stupid, i decided to rekindle the affair just for fun, the holiday season and i needed some excitement.

December in Delhi, I was the pretty saali and nobody suspected a thing, though my friend’s mom was pretty sharp.

Felt a little guilty that I wasnt around with the nervous bride, I was busy getting to know the groom better.

Friend’s mother told me I was giggling too much…she would not have been amused if she heard what her son-in-law had just told me.

Got bored in two days, almost got caught on more than one occassion, his friend from Japan was also looking suspicious.

Japanese man with strange accent became my new target, told him our customs demanded that he must dance with me.

Separating man from his camera was tough, he thought he was psy from the gangam video…sigh.

Japanese man wanted indian wife, the bride’s best friend….panic, he asked the groom to talk to me.

In walked the handsome movie star, the groom’s cousin….guess what happened next.

We got along and the vibe was there for all to see, groom and Jap friend were shell shocked, the bride kept smiling stupidly.

Movie star and I left together…the couple never spoke to me again, Japanese man is a huge star back home…sings only sad songs.”

(Picture courtesy details.com)

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