Crime against women spiralling

KOCHI: The drastic rise in crime against women in the district in 2011 has left visitors and residents  asking whether the city is turning into a safe haven for daylight  robbers, chain snatchers and perverts. Going by the figures released by the police in its latest ‘Crime against women report for 2011 up to April’, the district (Kochi city and Ernakulam rural) has registered 298 cases which includes rape, molestation, kidnapping, dowry death and eve-teasing.“A new breed of criminals are operating in the district who mainly target women. It’s easy  for them to target aged women. They can frighten them with a knife,” said R Rajalekshmi, an IT employee. “It really scares us. We have to be alert against intruders in our home. Staying back alone at home has become a risky affair for women these days,” said Rose Thomas, a resident of Thamanam. Kochi City Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) T Gopalakrishna Pillai said that the city police were doing its best to check the rising number of crimes in the city and in fact the city was by and large peaceful compared to rural areas of the district.“We have launched special women patrolling teams to ensure the safety of women in the city. Compared to rural areas, crime against women in the city is much less,” he said.Another police official said the various programmes launched as part of the community policing scheme have come to a standstill and the public participation in various projects has decreased. “We really need the public to be our eyes and ears,” he said.  Residents said that they want to immediate solutions in place for making public roads more safer for women. According to the crime report released by the police, six rape cases have been registered in Kochi city while it was 16 in the rural areas. While 36 cases have been registered in Kochi city for cruelty against women by husbands and relatives, it was 59 in Ernakulam rural.