2019-2021: Distress calls drop, FIRs numbers rise

Police attribute the trend to intensified patrolling, special combings, area domination exercises and preventive arrests

The national capital saw an overall decline in crime cases by 3% from 2019 to 2021 even as the number of heinous crimes saw an increase of 10% during the period.

The Hindu analysed a few interesting trends as it compared case figures from the pre-pandemic year of 2019 till 2021, data for which was shared by the police in its annual press meet on Thursday.

In 2019, a total of 3.16 lakh cases were registered, whereas in 2020, the Capital saw 2.66 lakh cases. Last year, the total number of cases registered was 3.06 lakh.

According to police officers, the decrease in the number of registered cases was primarily due to the lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021 when there was limited activity.

Heinous offences were the only crimes that saw a spike throughout the three years — 2019 till 2021 — as compared to other non-heinous and and special law offences, which saw a dip during 2020 due to the lockdown. Heinous offences include cases of rape, murder, sexual harassment, among others. The imprisonment awarded for such offences is seven years or more.

Attempt to murder cases, a heinous crime, saw a 56% increase from 2019 to last year, while there was a 45% increase in arrests for the offence in 2021.

Snatching cases also saw an increase of 49% from 2019 to last year with 6,266 cases being lodged in 2019, 7,695 cases in 2020 and 9,383 cases in 2021.