NGO seeks implementation of police reforms, launches drive

Express News Service: Wed Dec 01 2010,

Mumbai : The Praja Foundation, an NGO that has been compiling crime records through the RTI (Right to Information Act) for the past two years, launched a campaign seeking police reforms, on Tuesday outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. The campaign, aimed at collecting signatures from citizens for addressing issues of rising crime rate, police reforms and shortage of police personnel, intends to compel the authorities to take note of the situation and appropriate action. Former city police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, Satish Sawhney and Ronnie Mendonca were present at the campaign.

Praja Foundation introduced its mascot Biggy and it was displayed at the CST and Churchgate station. Founder trustee of Praja Foundation Nitai Mehta said, “We would present the signed petitions to home minister RR Patil. We will approach city MLAs through Praja Dialogue, our newsletter. It will carry a report on the campaign along with an appeal to ask the right questions in the Assembly.”

Sawhney explained how diligently and sincerely FIRs are attended to by police. “Investigating and solving an offence is the biggest priority today.”

Julio Ribeiro, who has been actively campaigning for police reforms, said, “At the very least, we want the new state government to implement the Supreme Court recommendations on police reforms in the state. We hope the new chief minister and home minister will implement the police reforms as asked by the Supreme Court.”

According to the data obtained through the Right to Information Act, eight housebreak-ins, five chain snatchings, 18 thefts, five accidents and 12 vehicle thefts take place in the city on an average every day. The data shows that south Mumbai, which has 25 police stations, reports maximum number of theft and murder cases and it has the maximum shortage of personnel. There are around 90 murder cases and 3,037 theft cases on record in these 25 police stations in the last two years and there is a shortage of 403 policemen. North west Mumbai has seen the highest number of molestation cases with 100 cases registered in the past two years whereas north central Mumbai has recorded 75 rape cases in the same period.