In  Puducherry Congress Government Rule, The Crime Graph Is On The Rise

On Sunday (30 September), van driver Udayashankar was chased and murdered at Reddiyarpalayam in Puducherry by a group of unidentified persons.

If visitors to the Union Territory of Puducherry choose to go to any of the beaches there, barring the one opposite the State Secretariat, police ask them to leave immediately after 6 pm. Police announce on the public address system that it wouldn’t be safe to stay at the beaches beyond 6 pm. These beaches aren’t even one-tenth the size of the Marina beach in Chennai.

A 17-year-old girl from the same area was abducted, sedated and gang-raped in July this year. A week later a Congress functionary was hacked to death by a gang in broad daylight, forcing Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to visit the affected family. A supervisor working in one of the farms at Auroville was murdered at noon when he was on the way to his house for lunch.

These are just samples of crimes that have taken place in Puducherry this year. Over the last couple of years, Puducherry is witnessing a spike in the number of crimes. Those who have been watching the developments say that the numbers have gone up since the Congress government under Narayanasamy came to power in June 2016.

“When N Rangasamy was the chief minister of Puducherry, Congress used to criticise the law and order situation, saying crimes in the Union Territory are on the rise. But things have only worsened under the Narayanasamy-led Congress government,” says a former Puducherry legislator. “Crimes are order of the day,” says the legislator, who had once been with the Congress but not anymore.

“You never know what will happen when in Puducherry now. Things are bad that rowdies attack people in broad daylight. Things have turned bad the last couple of years,” says a Puducherry woman not wishing to be identified.

Violence in Puducherry has come into focus ever since former assembly speaker V M C Sivakumar was attacked with country bombs and murdered by a gang at Karaikal, a port city in Puducherry. The political leader was murdered over a property dispute with a business associate.

Statistics show that nearly 200 violent crimes take place in Puducherry annually, with a fifth of them leading to murders. Last year, within a span of 45 days starting 1 April, a dozen murders took place with the most important one being the killing of a labour contractor by a local NR Congress leader.

Based on the perception of some respondents, Numbeo said on its website that crimes in Puducherry have increased over 60 per cent in the last three years. Crimes involving drug abuse, property disputes and violence have all increased over 60 per cent. The situation is such that only 33 per cent people feel safe walking alone at night, as per the perception.

Police say the violent crimes are not premeditated and occur at the spur of the moment, most of them resulting from drunken brawls. But not everyone agrees with the police justification of the rise in crime. “Police themselves are hand in glove with these anti-social elements indulging in violence. Last year, a Superintendent of Police was suspended for improper investigation of the case involving the murder of the labour contractor,” says the former legislator.

“Many ministers in Puducherry, besides some legislators, have 10-15 supporters escorting them always. These supporters are mostly unruly men who indulge in violence. Thus, when a crime takes place, there is political interference,” the legislator says. Some police have dealings with criminals, he adds, pointing out to an incident in 2012 when a rowdy was killed inside a police van by his rival.

Police officials say that they have been taking quick action on these crimes, arresting those involved within 48-72 hours. Last year, the police identified 15 persons who are repeat offenders and banned them from entering Puducherry. Some rowdy elements are being identified to be detained under Goondas Act.

Though officials say every effort is being made to bring the law and order situation under control, the conviction rate of criminals is poor. Nothing illustrates this more than the case of Ezhilarasi, a woman who surrendered before the local court in connection with the murder of V M C Sivakumar, who has been acquitted in another case of attempt to murder in 2011, citing lack of evidence. The person on who the murder attempt was made was, however, hacked to death in 2015 allegedly by the henchmen of Ezhilarasi!