DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Haryana Government, under its "Zero Tolerance for Crime" policy, has taken significant and effective measures to strengthen law and order in the state. Compared to previous years, the crime rate has witnessed a marked decline.

Focused actions are being undertaken to ensure women's safety, control cybercrime, and crack down on the drug mafia and gangster networks. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to make Haryana a safer and more law-abiding state.

Calling the recent statements made by the opposition on the issue of crime in the state, as misleading and factually baseless, an official spokesperson said such remarks are nothing but an attempt to spread fear among the public and misguide citizens.

The spokesperson further added that if the opposition leaders had objectively compared police data from 2004?2014 with that from 2014?2024, they would not have made such careless and irresponsible claims.

Reaffirming his firm stance on public safety, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has issued unequivocal directives to uphold a robust and responsive law and order system across Haryana. Chairing a recent high-level meeting with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, the Chief Minister stressed that strict and uncompromising action must be taken against criminals, and no leniency will be tolerated.

He said that ensuring the safety and security of citizens is the foremost responsibility of the state government. There is zero room for negligence when it comes to protecting the people, he said, adding that a strong law and order framework is the very backbone of peace and sustainable development.

The Chief Minister continues to personally monitor the law and order situation across the state and frequently issues strategic directions to senior police officers. His consistent focus remains on ensuring transparency, accountability, and swift action at every administrative level.

Citing figures from the Haryana State Crime Records Bureau, the spokesperson shared that during the Congress regime (2004?2014), the average annual increase in crime was as high as 18.69%. In contrast, during the 2014?2024 period, most crime categories, except snatching, have shown negative growth trends.

For example, murder cases increased from 733 in 2004 to 1,106 in 2014, reflecting a 3.81% annual increase. However, by 2024, the number of murder cases declined to 966, demonstrating a significant drop. From January 1 to June 30, 2025, the state recorded a clear reduction in several major crime categories compared to the same period in 2024.

Murder cases decreased by 7%, robbery dropped by 30.13%, snatching incidents reduced by 11.64%, burglary went down by 13.27%, general theft declined by 6.55%, and rape cases fell by 26.14%. There was also a 16.67% drop in kidnapping cases and a 16.90% reduction in molestation and sexual harassment cases.

Annual comparisons between 2023 and 2024 also show this downward trend. Robbery cases saw a 31.98% drop, attempt to rape cases declined by 53.82%, molestation and sexual harassment cases fell by nearly 35%, dacoity cases by 38.17%, and incidents filed under the SC/ST Act decreased by more than 31.97%.

Highlighting action against organised crime, the spokesperson said that the Special Task Force (STF), Haryana, has been working in coordination with other law enforcement agencies since 2023 to target hardened criminals and criminal networks.

STF has arrested 433 most-wanted criminals with cash rewards on their heads, 248 gangsters and gang members, and 792 individuals involved in heinous crimes.

The STF has also actively pursued international fugitives. In coordination with central agencies, STF Haryana has issued 83 Look Out Circulars (LOCs), 37 Red Corner Notices (RCNs), 27 Interpol references, and initiated the cancellation of 21 passports.

(editor@dailyworld.in)