Mumbai Police must refine the art of policing

to have an in-built bias against Muslims…seen in the active connivance of police with rioting Hindu mobs”. Beyond the mandated reforms which have been sputtering on — the government told the Bombay high court three years ago that it had introduced reforms like filling up vacant posts, upgrading forensic labs, providing adequate training and strengthening the investigation system. Once spoken of as the Scotland Yard of the East, Mumbai Police now faces new and different policing challenges. The force has adapted but has it adapted well enough, is the question.

The question assumes urgency in the light of three trends in criminal acts and legal violations. Wrong-side driving or wrong-lane driving has become a menace on the city’s streets. Of the vehicles, two-wheelers are the worst offenders. Why is the force this easy and sanguine with them? What does it take to crack down on all offenders and send a no-nonsense message? Then, as the data in National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2018 shows, cybercrime including online frauds, cheating, and stalking have seen a large increase — cyber offences increased 8% over the previous year but cybercrimes against women spiked by 33%. The Mumbai Police’s approach and arsenal to deal with cybercrimes remain compromised by the lack of trained personnel and adequate technologies.

Lastly, the trend of crimes against women is not slowing down; on the contrary, the 2018 report shows a 10% rise over the previous year with molestation accounting for one-third the cases. The sensitivity that the force showed towards protestors needs to be extended towards women and children too.

May the force be with Mumbai Police this year.