Rising Tide of Crime

By Chasfeeda Shah

In a shocking and appalling development that has sent shockwaves throughout the nation, a man has committed an act of unspeakable violence in the Mohanpora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district of J&K. According to a statement released by the police, the perpetrator has mercilessly murdered a 30-year-old woman by gruesomely decapitating her and slicing her body into multiple pieces.

This horrific incident is eerily reminiscent of another heinous crime that took place in the Indian capital of Delhi last year, where a man committed an act of unfathomable brutality by killing his girlfriend and dismembering her body. What makes this case even more shocking is the fact that the perpetrator had brazenly stored the body parts in a refrigerator before dumping them one by one in a nearby forest area.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident in Jammu and Kashmir, as the region has witnessed a disturbing rise in the number of such cases in recent years. The citizens of the Union Territory are understandably gripped by fear and anxiety, wondering whether the crime rate is spiraling out of control. The recurring incidents of such gruesome crimes have left the populace deeply perturbed and questioning the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in curbing the rising tide of violence.

The recent surge in the number of murders in Jammu and Kashmir has left the entire region in a state of shock and disbelief. The recurring incidents of violence and brutality have made it abundantly clear that the crime rate in the region is on the rise, and the situation demands urgent attention from the authorities.

A recent news report from a leading newspaper in Kashmir has revealed a sharp increase in crime rates in Jammu and Kashmir, with a 24.6 percent surge in 2021 compared to 2019. The report states that there were 31,675 cognisable crimes in 2021, which includes 27,447 crimes related to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 4,228 involving Special and Local Laws (SLL). This is a significant jump from 2019, which recorded 25,408 crimes in total, comprising 22,404 IPC crimes and 3,004 SLL crimes.

The report also highlighted a crime rate registration of 235.7 per lakh population from 2019 to 2021, with an overall charge sheeting rate of 81.4 percent. The report further noted that there were 136 cases of murder in 2021, with 30 of them related to extremism or insurgency, two to political reasons, one to honour killing, 10 to love affairs, and three to illicit relationships.

The state authorities and law enforcement agencies must take proactive measures to address the root causes of such crimes and work towards creating a safer environment for the people. The government must ensure that the perpetrators of such heinous acts are brought to justice swiftly and decisively.

The rise in the crime rate is a cause for concern not only for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir but for the entire nation. The authorities must act with alacrity to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future. Only then can we hope to create a society that is truly just, equitable, and safe for all its citizens.