Pune lockdown effect: Employment loss, past enmity spurs assault cases reported in city, says police report

Pune: During the lockdown period imposed on the backdrop of Covid-19 outbreak in the city, the number of serious crimes like attempted murders, murders etc reported in the city had gone down remarkably, but now it has been revealed that cases of voluntarily causing hurt and assault increased during the same period. Police have attributed loss of employment and revenge over past enmity as reasons behind the rise in such cases during the lockdown.

The city had 640 cases of assaults and aggravated assaults by the end of July 2019. Despite the lockdown in the city from March to July, the number of cases of assaults and aggravated assaults has not decreased. In contrast, the number of incidents have increased up to 650, up from July last year. Last year, a total of 6,163 serious crimes were committed in the city, while by the end of July this year, 3,035 serious crimes were committed. There are 97 cases of voluntarily causing hurt and 551 cases of assault. There has been a decrease in cases of attempted murder, robbery, burglary, vehicle and mobile theft.

Meanwhile, inmates who have committed minor offenses in the lockdown have been released on parole by the jail administration. Some of these inmates have been charged with aggravated assault or murder. However, immediate action was taken by the police after these incidents, a senior police official said.

SERIOUS CRIMES IN THE CITY

• Before lockdown - 20 to 30 per day
• During lockdown - Four to five per day
• After lockdown – Slight increase

NUMBER OF HOMICIDES

After the lockdown was relaxed, murders cases were reported from Hadapsar, Yerawada, Kondhwa, Sinhagad Road and Kothrud areas. Most of the incidents took place due to past enmity, rivalries between criminal gangs and minor disputes. Also last year there were 46 murders reported in the city, and this year during the same period there have been 45 murders reported so far.

REASONS FOR INCREASING INCIDENCE OF VOLUNTARILY CAUSING HURT

• Most citizens being at home
• Arguments due to loss of employment
• Disputes over past enmity