Delhi has been categorised for the second consecutive year as the most unsafe city for senior citizens in 2015, the latest data from “Crime in India” report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said. With a rate of 108.8 crimes per 100,000 elderly population, senior citizens in the national capital are almost five times more likely to become victims of a crime than in the rest of the country. The national rate for such crimes stands at 20.
This category is followed by Madhya Pradesh 60.5 (3,456 cases), Chhattisgarh 53.7 (1,077 cases) and Andhra Pradesh 51.6 (2,495 cases).
Mostly senior citizens residing in the national capital were the victims of crimes like robbery (145 cases), cheating (123), murder (14), grievous hurt (9), extortion (3) attempt to murder (2), attempt to commit culpable homicide (2), rape (1), dacoity (2) and the maximum 947 of “other IPC crimes”. In terms of number, a total of 1,248 cases of crime against senior citizens were registered in Delhi in 2015.
The crime rate against senior citizens in Delhi rose 19.8 per 100,000 senior citizens compared to the rate of 89 crimes that took place in 2014. NCRB had for the first time tabulated data on crimes against senior citizens in 2014. Compared to the cases, the number of arrested persons for various crimes committed against senior citizens in 2015 was around one-third (385 criminals). The data said that all the criminals were male.
Asked about the increasing crime rate in the city against senior citizens, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Taj Hassan said: “We have been running a campaign since 2014 that every case should be registered. The major jump in crime rate was seen in 2014 and after that in 2015. So, we want that every crime should be detected and correct registration should take place.”
The officer said that the Delhi Police is very serious about the security of senior citizens regarding which a senior citizens’ security cell was formed on June 20, 2004, at the Police Headquarters level and now in all 11 districts of Delhi.
