Virus flattens crime curve across State

While the entire world is battling to flatten the COVID-19 curve, the virus, it seems, has flattened the crime curve in the State.

According to reports from various parts of the State, the criminals have largely kept indoors during the lockdown period. The residents who are braving the virus scare, and the cops who are sweating it out on streets to impose prohibitory orders and social distancing equally swear that they didn’t have to tackle criminal menace these days.

“Not a single case of house break-in and theft has been reported in the eight rural districts of the zone since March 25. Even other offences happened only in negligible numbers,” said a senior police officer in western TN.

“Less movement of vehicles has also helped. Only one fatal accident, in Krishnagiri district, reported so far in contrast to about 388 fatalities in the Western region since January,” he said.

Also, usually not a day would go without a child being subjected to sexual harassment as a staggering 90 POCSO cases have been booked in the eight districts since the start of the year.

However, in the last fortnight, only three POCSO cases were registered, one each in Salem, Namakkal and the Nilgiris. Of them, one incident was a child marriage done with the consent of parents in the Nilgiris.

Inspector-General of Police (West Zone) K Periaiah said more police presence on streets and closed borders has led to this significant drop. “Only a few cases were reported after the lockdown, that too on Section 144 violations,” he said.

On a lighter vein, the IG said the police force find the battle against COVID-19 more challenging than the usual crime detection work. “In crimes, we knew who the culprit is. But now we are fighting an invisible enemy,” he said.

According to Madurai City Commissioner of Police, S Davidson Devasirvatham, except for a murder in Avaniyapuram on Monday over some domestic issue, no major crime has been reported during the lockdown. “Also, as part of enforcing curb orders, we are operating five drones fitted with cameras in Madurai city,” he said.

According to Madurai SP, N Manivannan, normally 20 to 25 cases of various crimes would be reported daily under six subdivisions of Madurai District Police, but the same has nosedived since the lockdown came into effect.

While Ramanathapuram SP V Varun Kumar said except for two incidents no crime has been reported in the district during the lockdown, Thoothukudi SP Arun Balagopalan attributed the dip in crime rate to lack of transport facilities.

Tirunelveli, notorious for criminal incidents due to the prevalence of gang rivalry and revenge killing, has become strikingly peaceful.  Tirunelveli SP Omprakash Meena said only three to four cases issues concerning law and order were reported against the usual 25 to 30 cases a day.

In central TN, the crime-prone areas like Pudukkottai, Patukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, where at least one murder gets reported every week on an average, also didn’t report any major incident. “Normally, several cases get registered under

POCSO Act from Tiruchy, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts. Not a single such case has been registered in any district in the central region after the lockdown,” a senior police officer said. Drone surveillance, COVID-19 patrol forces and other such initiatives have ensured that criminals stay indoors, he added.

The officer further said that the closure of Tasmac outlets has also brought down criminal cases, including that of domestic violence. However, non-availability of liquor has led to desperate alcoholics indulging in petty crime.

Even though the Tamil Nadu police are claiming that they had arrested over one lakh people in connection with Section 144 violations, almost all are being let out at the station itself on personal bail as the authorities are not in a position to remand the violators and fill the jails. Nowadays, remanding the accused to judicial custody is limited to suspects involved in serious crimes like murder, sexual assault of minors and armed robbery etc.

“Number of remand accused in judicial custody is down drastically,” disclosed a senior police officer adding only those involved in serious crimes are now being remanded. “Arrest and subsequent judicial remand is always decided by the investigation officer. But before the lockdown they used to leave it to the judicial officers,” an official noted adding that with only a few courts functioning, police find it better to allow the accused to go on station bail.

In certain cases, the cops ask the suspect to make themselves present at the station during every morning and evening. “The courts themselves are asking the government to chalk out plans to empty jails via fast-tracking bail orders and paroles to reduce the congestion in prison in the wake of COVID-19 upsurge,” the officer pointed out. Also the number of regular crimes like snatchings, drunken brawls and thefts have come down.

Officials further noted that the prison and police administration are readying a list of convicts to be released on parole as a step to further decongest the Central prison.

Meanwhile, the NIA special judge on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of accused ISIS sympathisers Abdul Shameem and Thofeeq in SSI Wilson murder case as “the crime is serious in nature”. “It is reasonable to extend the judicial custody of the said accused from 90 days to 180 days based on the report filed by NIA Special Prosecutor CSS Pillai,” the order said.

CHENNAI: Motorists moving more than two km radius from their residence would be seized, warned Commissioner AK Viswanathan. “Necessary items would be available at shops located at walkable distance from 6 am to 1 pm. It does not require a two-wheeler. We have received complaints that people ride far beyond the two km radius on the pretext of buying groceries and vegetables. Action would be initiated against them and the vehicles seized would not be returned until the lockdown is withdrawn,” he said. He was talking to the media after distributing masks, sanitisers and energy drinks to the personnel posted on the field. So far, the city police have booked over 30,000 cases and seized about 12,000 two-wheelers, he said, adding: “People should understand the severity of the situation and cooperate with the police for the safety of own and family members,” he said. The police personnel were sensitised on the health risks, and have been asked to be extra cautious and follow safety protocol.