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Mumbai clocks in 300% rise in crimes against women

A White paper recently released by the Praja Foundation reveals South Mumbai is perceived most unsafe, conviction rates are dismally low.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Even as the city grapples with rising criminal activity, a very grim picture about crimes against women has surfaced in Mumbai. According to a research paper released by the city-based Praja Foundation, there has been a staggering 390% rise in rapes from the year 2011 to 2014, while molestation cases have gone up by 347% in the same period.

The report analysed data gathered under RTI (Right to Information) and found that Mumbai has lost its ‘safe city’ tag, especially for women. “Within a span of four years (2010-11 to 2014-15), reporting of rape cases has increased to 390% and molestation to 347%. From 2013-14 to 2014-15, the cases of rape and molestation have gone up by 49% and 39% respectively. Conviction for rape was just 27%,” the report states.

Nitai Mehta, Founder and Managing Trustee of Praja Foundation observes, “In serious offence cases, particularly rape, chargesheets are filed under the direction responsibility of a senior officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, and prosecuted only when there is enough evidence and witnesses to prosecute the accused. Still the conviction rates are low.”

To further understand the issue and find solutions, Praja initiated a study to understand the life cycle of a serious offense case in the first court of trial, various stages that it goes through and its outcome. The study confined it to Sessions Courts of Mumbai with the understanding that as per the law, most of the serious offences are tried in these courts. Of the 550 cases studied so far, only 127 were convicted and even in them the conviction in 34 cases was on a lesser offence; there was no perjury initiated when witness turned hostile; eight months were taken to file charges for rape cases.

Mehta added, “Preliminary findings of the study highlights, a) Failure in investigation, b) Weak prosecution, c)and weak reformative systems. Based on the report, conviction of Class II serious offences (i.e. crime against body) was as low as 9% in 2014.”

On the whole, South Mumbai remains the area where registered crime is most rampant (9,203 cases). Alarmingly, the report shows that South Central Mumbai have registered most number of rape cases for the last five years whereas South Mumbai has the highest number of reported crimes (9,203) in 2014-15.

(Image is used for representational purpose only)

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Two building collapses in two weeks for Thane

Old buildings continue to fall in Mumbai and Thane. What are the Government and municipal authorities doing to address the problem?
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

After a building collapse in Thakurli last week claimed 9 lives, another building collapse in Naupada, Thane has now torn five families asunder. 12 people have died in the second collapse incident.

At least 5 people were rescued in a joint operation by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Mumbai Fire Brigade personnel. The incident occurred at about 2 am on Tuesday, when the Krishna Niwas building collapsed in under 10 seconds. Ground floor repair work in one of the commercial establishments in the building is being blamed for the collapse. On Monday, residents had been alarmed by wide cracks in the building staircase.

The NDRF personnel had previously been pushed into service in last week’s building collapse at Thakurli, also in Thane. 9 people were killed in that incident. The Naupada building was not on the Thane Municipal Corporation’s list of dilapidated buildings.

Apart from intermittent rains queering the pitch for buildings in Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan-Dombivali, the problem of cessed buildings and the lack of repair continues to plague the city. There are over thousands of old buildings in the city, which fall under the ambit of the Rent Control Act. Owing to the Act, owners of these buildings are not allowed to raise rents for tenants (who may pay as little as Rs 35 to Rs 100 per month as rent). Hence, the owners are unable to gather the funds to carry out repairs and restoration works for the buildings. Naturally, the buildings continue to stand in a state of increasing disrepair – till they ultimately collapse and claim lives.

Residents of old buildings in a dilapidated state are warned to vacate the premises after municipal authorities conduct checks for stability. However, most cannot afford to pay high rents or purchase property in Mumbai and Thane. The prices of real estate in Mumbai are the highest in Asia, and most people are unable to afford a home purchase.

Building owners in Mumbai and Thane are increasingly opting to redevelop their properties. However, the process of redevelopment is a long-winded one, requiring consents from tenants and owners, a mutually agreeable discussion on area allotment, permissions to be procured from the municipal authorities, and so on. It is being said that the Naupada building was locked in a dispute between a builder wanting to redevelop the property and the five families that had stayed behind in the building. Sadly, the survivors of the building are now left to grapple with the loss of their homes and loved ones.

(Picture courtesy www.indianexpress.com)

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Yakub Memon is hanged, 7 hours after turning 53

After over a week of hectic developments in his case, 1993 Bombay blasts convict Yakub Memon was hanged this morning.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Just 7 hours after he turned 53, Yakub Memon, convicted for his role in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Bombay, was hanged to death in Nagpur Central Jail, Maharashtra.

This is the only execution in the case thus far. Yakub was convicted for financing the blasts. His brother and chief planner of the attacks, Tiger Memon, and mastermind Dawood Ibrahim, are still ‘missing’ in connection with the case.

In an unprecedented development late last night, a special bench heard an emergency mercy petition filed by Yakub’s brother, inside the Supreme Court premises till 2 am. However, the decision to execute Yakub Memon was upheld. Accordingly, Yakub was hanged at 7 am at Nagpur Central Jail, where he had been lodged for several years.

Read more about how the decision to hang Yakub was taken here and here.

(Picture courtesy www.sify.com)

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Mumbai becoming unsafe every year

Latest White Paper on law and order in Mumbai by Praja Foundation reveals huge spike in crime, low policing effort.
by the Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Maximum city is in the grip of maximum crime. And understaffed, under-motivated cops are adding to the problem.

A White Paper released by the city-based Praja Foundation today, November 25, confirms some extremely grim findings that most Mumbaikars had probably already suspected. Apart from crimes against women and children increasing, there is a serious lack of policing, the Paper finds. The survey was conducted with a sample size of 22,580 respondents in Mumbai for the period 2013-2014, across all strata of society, of which 32 per cent confessed that they did not feel safe in Mumbai any more. An astonishing 65 per cent of respondents confessed to witnessing a crime of the nature of an accident, theft, murder, or rape.

92 per cent of those charge-sheeted have got away scot free. Overall, the conviction rate remains at 22 per cent. Currently the city has a sanction of 41,643 personnel, but only 37,159 are working as of now, a shortfall of almost 11 per cent.

Among those who witnessed a crime, 44 per cent have faced a crime themselves.

Extremely serious realities

As per the White Paper:

– There is 47% increase in rape cases and 52% increase in molestation

– North Central Mumbai has highest rate of registered crime

– There is 8% conviction rate in Class II serious offences

– There has been a 66% rise in chain snatching cases

– There has been a 17% increase in cases of housebreaking

– There were 1854 accidental railway deaths in Mumbai

As per a press released issued today, Praja said, “Disturbing crime statistics reveal that Mumbai is in urgent need of change in the area of law enforcement. The city is fast becoming an extremely unsafe place to live in. Recently released reports by Praja suggest that a combination of low conviction rates and high levels of understaffing in the police force have resulted in the crumbling of law and order in Mumbai. Although conviction rates in Class II serious offences (cases involving bodily harm, murder, rape, grievous hurt, kidnapping, abduction etc.) improved slightly from 7 per cent in 2012 to 8 per cent in 2013, they are still very less. 92 per cent of those charge-sheeted have got away scot free. Overall, the conviction rate remains at 22 per cent. This is a low figure. To maintain law and order in the city, it is imperative that these figures rise. Low conviction rates lead to thriving crime and, consequently, an unsafe city.”

From L to R- T N Srividya, Nitai Mehta, Milind MhaskeNitai Mehta, Founder and Managing Trustee of Praja Foundation, said, “Crime has flourished all over the State’s capital, and we must question why there has been such a sharp rise, despite having a police force that is honour-bound to protect the citizens.” Perturbing figures have emerged for the North Mumbai (Borivali, Dahisar, Malad West) area, which recorded the highest number of chain snatching incidents (487 incidents, an increase of 84 per cent) in 2013-14. 44 per cent of the respondents find North Mumbai an unsafe area to live in. North Mumbai figures show that, since most of them called the police helpline numbers of 100/103 etc. (65 per cent), which are manned by a distressingly understaffed Control Room (deficit of 47 per cent personnel), many of the complaints failed to be registered appropriately.”

Milind Mhaske, Project Director of Praja, argued, “There is obviously an urgent need to upgrade and increase staff in the Control Room, so that cases get the attention they deserve and crime does not go unreported”. This can, perhaps, go to explain why there are high instances of crimes such as chain snatching and house breaking in Mumbai. Mhaske added, “In 2013-14, chain snatching has gone up by 66 per cent; theft, by 19 per cent, Rioting, by 8 per cent. These are the crimes that really affect people’s perception of the city. And that perception is that, currently, Mumbai is not the safe and secure place that it once was.”

On the whole, however, North Central Mumbai (Vile Parle, Kurla, Bandra) remains the area where registered crime is most rampant, with 734 cases of housebreaking, 1598 cases of theft and 819 cases of vehicle theft. Nitai Mehta said, “Understaffing and multiplicity of tasks in the Mumbai Police Force is compromising investigation and thereby leading to low conviction rates. A fully manned force will mean that the officers handling criminal cases will focus solely on these investigations, rather than being called on to man roadblocks and performing bandobast duties. Consequently, cases that make their way to the courts will be watertight and there will be an assurance that the guilty will be convicted”.

Currently the city has a sanction of 41,643 personnel, but only 37,159 are working as of now, a shortfall of almost 11 per cent. Due to the huge gap between sanctioned and available IOs (Investigating Officers), investigations have not been conducted in an organised manner. Mhaske contended, “A study of acquitted cases shows that the chief reason for acquittal has been ‘lack of evidence’. This, in turn, showcases the performance of the IO, the public prosecutor and the lack of coordination between the two.”

Summing up, Mehta said, “Priority must be given to training and staffing the police force so that it is strong enough to handle the crises a large and populated city like Mumbai throws at it. Issues related to crime and its curtailment must be a regular topic of deliberations. MLAs must be constantly engaged with the citizens as well as the police force to keep a diligent eye on the law and order situation in the city. Only then will Mumbai become a safe and peaceful city to live in”.

(Featured image courtesy www.thegoan.net. Picture is used for representational purpose only)

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Shivaji statue plans on the move again

Maharashtra Government wants all permissions taken in four months, CM wishes for ‘a statue like no other’ in Arabian Sea.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The much-disputed proposal to erect a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in the Arabian Sea is seemingly back on the table.

At a recent meeting convened with concerned ministers and department heads, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is said to have asked that the memorial plans be ‘fast-tracked’. “The CM has asked that the memorial be of an international standard, and that all concerned departments must consistently follow up with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and others. He has also said that the bhoomi pujan for the memorial will be done by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” an official present at the meeting said.

“The CM has also urged the appointment of an experienced team to mould the actual statue, and to seek inputs from companies that have done this kind of work anywhere in the world,” the official added. It is learnt that the CM has given a deadline of up to four months for all permissions and approvals to be taken, and the bhoomi pujan to be completed.

The conceptual design for the proposed memorial has been prepared by students of the JJ School of Architecture, and these have been shown to the CM. The proposed memorial is to be erected on a rockbed in the Arabian Sea, and will be located 1.5 km from the Raj Bhavan, 3.5 km from Marine Drive and 12 km from the Gateway of India. The site will comprise the Shivaji statue, a large museum, auditorium, library, exhibition hall, and amphitheatre. As per the initial designs, the proposed statue will depict Shivaji astride a horse and brandishing a sword.

What do you think of the move to erect a Shivaji statue in the Arabian Sea? Tell us in the comments section below.

(Picture courtesy newsreporter1.blogspot.com. Image is artist’s impression of the proposed memorial site)

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Maharashtra universities step up for Kashmir

Universities of Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Nanded and SNDT have jointly raised Rs 96 lakh for Kashmir relief, rescue efforts.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The country has already stepped up to generously contribute for the recent tragedy in Kashmir. But the State of Maharashtra’s universities have collectively raised a little under Rs 1 crore.

The Vice Chancellors of Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad and Nanded Universities met the Governor of Maharashtra and Chancellor of Universities in the State, Ch Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan yesterday, October 8, and presented to him separate cheques aggregating Rs 61.78 lakh. The cheques were addressed to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the rehabilitation of persons affected by the floods in Jammu and Kashmir. The Governor welcomed the gesture of the Universities and sent the cheques to the Prime Minister’s office.

While Dr Wasudeo Gade, Vice Chancellor of the Savitribai Phule University of Pune presented a cheque of Rs 30 lakh for the PM’s Relief Fund, Dr BA Chopade, Vice Chancellor of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University gave a cheque of Rs 15 lakh. The Vice Chancellor of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Prof Dr NJ Pawar gave a cheque of Rs 10 lakh for the PM’s Relief Fund, while the Vice Chancellor of the Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Dr Pandit Vidyasagar, gave a sum of Rs 6.78 lakh as contribution of the University’s staff towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

Previously, the University of Mumbai had given Rs 25 lakh and the SNDT University had donated Rs 10 lakhs to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the rehabilitation of persons affected by the floods in Jammu and Kashmir.

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