Assam witnessed 200 criminal cases per lakh of population in 2022

The crime rate in the State of Assam which was at an average of 366 cases per lakh of the population has now come down to 200 cases per lakh of the population due to various steps taken by Assam Police. 

The case pendency has also drastically come down to 58,908 cases at the end of 2022 as against 95,994 cases at the end of 2021 and more than a lakh case at the end of 2020. 

This will improve the Investigation Officer (IO) to case ratio and thereby enhance the quality of investigation and supervision. 

Further, the number of cases per IO on average has come down to 25 cases as against 52 cases at the end of 2021.

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Even the crimes reported have come down due to various measures taken by Assam Police like cracking down on the crime syndicates, keeping a close watch on repeat offenders, and increasing visibility and identification of hotspots.

These actions have resulted in crime prevention and the number of cases reported has come down to 69,439 at the end of 2022 as against 1,33,239 at the end of 2021. 

Further, the charge sheet percentage has also gone up to 48 per cent in the year 2022 as against 39 per cent in the previous year.

Crime against Women has also drastically come down to 12,034 cases in 2022 as against 29,046 cases in 2021 and also against an annual average of 27,240 cases during the period 2017-2021. 

This is due to the setting up of Special Cells for Women in collaboration of the TATA Institute of Social Sciences, a coordinated approach by all stakeholders like Assam Police, Social Welfare Department, NGOs, Labour Department, Health & Education Department and due to capacity building and sensitization programmes for Assam Police. 

Even the Crimes against Children have come down to 4,306 as against 5,282 in the previous year. The number of Human trafficking cases has also come down to 96 cases as against 203 in the previous year. 

This was due to the setting up of Anti-Human Trafficking Units in each district, creating a post of Supdt. of Police (AHT) at CID HQ and providing infrastructure to all the Anti-Human Trafficking Units under Nirbhaya Fund.

The Cyber Crimes reported in the State have also come down to 1,781 cases as against 4,846 cases in the year 2021. 

This reduction was due to prompt action on the cyber fraudsters, de-activating of SIMs and WhatsApp accounts involved in cyber frauds, and monitoring of the social media platforms 24x7 for unlawful posts and those against women and children. 

Further, in 1930 a 24x7 Cyber Fraud Call Centre was also successful in tracing and freezing Rs. 6.41 crores of cyber fraud amounts pertaining to 2,177 cases with a success rate of more than 18 per cent.

The number of murder cases has also come down compared to the previous year. The Crimes against Property have drastically come down from 29,113 in 2021 to 14,381 in 2022. 

Similarly, the Dacoity cases reported have also come down to 85 cases in 2022 as against 188 in 2021. This is due to police keeping track of known criminals, history sheeters and habitual offenders. Assam Police was also successful in recovering more than 66 crores of stolen properties which is more than 58 per cent recovery.

All out efforts against organized crimes and crime syndicates by Assam Police are continuing and a total of 2,878 cases were registered under the NDPS Act cases in the year 2022 as against 455 cases in 2018, 828 cases in the year 2019, 980 cases in 2020 and 2,271 cases in 2021. Assam Police arrested 4,691 drug traffickers, seized 112 kg of Heroin, 49,000 kg of Ganja, 52 lakh tablets, more than 21 lakh Cough Syrup bottles, 215 kg of Opium etc. in 2022. 

Coordinated efforts in demand reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction are on with the help of all the stakeholders. NDPS Act cases are closely supervised and followed up with timely charge sheets. The conviction percentage of NDPS Act cases in the year 2022 is around 47 per cent and 26 habitual drug traffickers have been detained under PITNDPS Act cases. 

Similarly, Assam Police is going hammer and tongs against cattle smugglers and a total of 1,181 cases have been registered, 633 vehicles seized, 1,356 smugglers arrested and 12,402 cattle rescued. The Burmese Supari rackets are also being dealt with with firm hands and more than 1.07 lakh kg. of Burmese Supari have been seized in 199 cases during the year 2022. 

Further, the drive against illicit liquor and smuggling of liquor is also going on in full swing and a total of 2.18 lakh litres of liquor has been seized by registering 288 cases and arresting 371 accused since the present Government took over.

Traffic violators are also being dealt with a firm hand and a total of Rs. 74.53 crores of fines under the M.V. Act were levied during the year 2022. 

The use of technology and forensics by Assam Police is now the focus area and a lot of steps are being taken to use scientific aids in investigation and to set up new Regional and Mobile Forensic Science Laboratories in various parts of the State along with the upgradation of State FSL at Guwahati. 

Assam Police is following a two-pronged strategy of public-friendly policing on the one hand and a no-nonsense approach towards criminals on the other.