Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Nov 9: Around 75 per cent of people in India avoid reporting crimes as they are not comfortable with the way the police behave with complainants, especially women and people from marginalised sections.

A study on "Non-registration of crimes: Problems and solutions" conducted by a team led by Dr Arvind Tiwari of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, for the Bureau of Police Research and Development(BPR&D), highlights the need to improve treatment of women complainants. Recently a 19 year old IAS aspirant from Bhopal who had visited the station to file a gang rape case was mocked by the police for making up a filmy story, the study notes.

Complaints from people belonging to marginalized sections of the society are often “overlooked”. Around 33 per cent of their complaints were either registered as non-cognisable offences and 25 per cent as daily diary (DD) entries.

The study highlights that less than 10 per cent crimes are being registered, if the non-registration of crimes is calculated.

The main reasons for non-registration of crimes are the linking of crime statistics by police functionaries to performance appraisals.

Political influence is another reason which makes police reluctant in registering crimes. The crime graphs have had a negative impact on the performance of police and also the governments in power. In certain states, the political executives openly insist on non-registration of crimes in order to show lower rate on the graph.

To make political influence evident, the research cites the example of BSP leader Mayawati who said as Chief Minister she had suspended senior officers for inability to control crime. “There was a tradition to touch feet of a person in authority or senior in rank (in UP police). In police stations also, generally complainants as well as accused were found touching feet of sub-inspector and SHO,” the study reads.

Dilemma of cognisable and non-cognisable nature of offences and general public's ignorance about the difference between them, have victims holding grudge against the police for reducing the gravity of their cases.

Also, the increase in workload and lack of adequate manpower has impacted the performance of the police. The cops are hesitant in registering crimes, in order to avoid more workload.

The study states that governments spend less money on police which has caused shortage of staff, infrastructure and transport. Nearly 50 per cent cases registered end in acquittals due to this.