'Crimes against women have gone down'

Interview with R.S. Gupta, Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

Despite overwhelming concern among the citizens of Delhi over the recent spate of crimes against women, one person feels that crimes against women have, in fact, come down. He is Delhi Police Commissioner R.S. Gupta. The senior-most police officer in the Delhi Police spoke to T.K. Rajalakshmi on his understanding of the situation. Excerpts from the interview:

The recent surge in crimes against women in the capital is worrisome. The incidence of crimes against women has gone up over the last few years and Delhi is being talked about as India's crime capital. Why do you think this has happened?

When we talk of a spurt, we should compare Delhi with Delhi, not with Mumbai or with any other place. If we compare the situation in Delhi over the last five years, we find that crimes against women have gone down. While there were 355 cases of rape during this period last year, this year the number is 336.

But have not such crimes become more brazen than ever?

I would put it this way. There is no doubt that there is a perceptible, significant reduction in crimes against women over a period of five years in Delhi, including this year. But society as a whole, including the police, is not happy with the current levels of crimes against women. There is a strong feeling that it should reduce further. But there are many factors responsible for crimes to reduce. The first is the societal factor. Norms in society, how society behaves towards women and the girl child, how women and children are permitted freedom, how they are permitted to grow, take care of themselves, be independent, educated - these are the factors from the point of view of society. There are also some dos and don'ts as well and self-defence measures, which women have to consider.

But you would agree that women do not feel confident in approaching the police. Are there any reforms required within the police system to rectify this?

We have to create an atmosphere where the victim feels confident to come forward and approach the police. We have stated that it is not at all necessary for a victim of such a crime to come to the police station personally. She can call up wherever it is convenient and the police will reach there. We have a helpline, which is very effective, and a round-the-clock mobile women police arrangement. The second aspect is, once it has been reported to the police, further action should be taken by the woman police officer. Thirdly, it should be investigated with professionalism so that very strong evidence comes on record, which ultimately leads to conviction. In Delhi, the police pay a lot of attention to this. The all-India figures of conviction for rape is 27 per cent, while in Delhi it is 47 per cent, almost double. The other aspect is certainty of punishment. Courts are really burdened with cases and it can be examined if we can have special courts for rape cases.

The NCRB has observed that the rates of conviction reflect only a low percentage of the total number of reported crimes. A large number of crimes actually go unreported. It is also true that the victims do not feel confident enough to report to the police.

It is not only that. There are other factors also. The aspect of social stigma is a very big thing, the attitude of parents is a very big thing, the attitude of relations is a big thing. Delhi is different from anywhere else. We are improving it further. The level of confidence in the Delhi police is much higher than anywhere else.

Does this confidence in the Delhi Police cut across class lines? Does this apply to all sections of society?

Yes.

Lawyers and women's organisations dealing with such cases find that often shoddy investigation, delay in lodging FIRs, even refusal to lodge FIRs, and delayed medical examination of the victim create problems in the conviction of cases.

The police would never like to delay. The delay occurs because of hesitation and non-cooperation on the part of the victim and the family. In the case of the rape of the MAMC student, the victim's father refused to register a case. The victim and her parents were not available for any discussion for four days. We had to register the case ourselves.

But it is the police which registers the FIR, not the victim.

The police records the FIR at the instance of the victim, mostly on behalf of either the victim or the family members, but it is preferable from the victim. Because whatever goes into the FIR becomes the first report. It has a higher evidentiary value, as our ultimate aim is to get conviction.