2007 witnessed elimination of dacoit gangs in MP

Bhopal, Dec 29: Though 2007 witnessed a slight spurt in crime in Madhya Pradesh, the year would be remembered for successful elimination of interstate dacoit gangs as 29 bandits were shot dead and 171 arrested in 47 encounters.

The year gave a breather to the state government as well as to the denizens, as the men in Khaki liquidated notorious dacoits, including Rambabu Gadaria, the chieftain of the Gadaria gang who was responsible for Gwalior's Bhanwarpura massacre and also involved in several other crimes, and Jagjivan Parihar who posed a challenge for both the state police and their Uttar Pradesh counterparts.

These dacoits perpetrated a reign of terror in Chambal ravines in the state's northen region.

The Gadaria dacoit gang was wiped out with the death of its chieftain Rambabu Gadaria, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh.

Similarly, Jagjiwan Parihar dacoit gang was rendered effete when its head, who carried a reward of Rs 7.25 lakh on his head, was shot dead in an encounter.

Dacoit Shivprasad Kurmi, alias Dadua, who spread terror both in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, was also killed with his gang this year. However, Ambika Prasad Patel, alias Thokia gang reigning in the state's Vindhya and Bundelkhand region still posed a tough challenge to the police.

Murder of journalist Pawan Jain 'Vidrohi' in the state's capital, a raid on ultras ordnance factory, acquittal of underworld don Abu Salem's girlfriend and film actress Monika Bedi and the hearing of Salem in the fake passport case became marquee in the crime world.

Comparing last year's records with this year, official sources revealed that the state witnessed an about six per cent hike in the crime rate, including Bhopal and other towns. The state capital was still affected with dacoity in the suburbs.

Not only the state government but the country's intelligence system remain astonished with the disclosure of illegal ordnance factory at Bhopal's industrial area at Govindpura. The factory was making rocket launchers besides research on other dreaded weapons for the last four to five years, while the arms-related literature in the English language seized from there was incomprehensible for the police. A couple from Andhra Pradesh was running the factory while dwelling here in a clandestine manner to supply arms to the extremists.

Some links of Rajasthan-based Ajmer Sharif's bomb-blast were also found in Madhya Pradesh's Malwanchal region as the tiffin-bomb used for the incident was wrapped with a Malwanchal's local newspaper.

As per the official sources, this year 1,72,096 cases have been registered against 1,94,104 cases last year. A comparative study of 2005 and 2006 showed that there was also a spurt of 2.93 per cent in crime.

Data showed that there was a rise several criminal activities in the state. According to the ten months available records, 1,830 cases of murder came to light which was 2.1 per cent less than the October 2006 record.

In contrast to the above record, there was a 5.3 per cent hike in the attempted murder cases, as this year 2,480 rape cases were already registered against last October's 2,336 cases showing an apparent rise of 6.1 per cent. Compared to last October's 1,902 riots cases, this year registered 2,289 cases which was a 20.34 per cent increment.

UNI