The New Nation - Internet Edition

The Indian National Bureau of Crimes has recently released its annual report (2007-08) giving details of the crime incidents that occurred in the corresponding period in the country.

The report says that there were in all 5 millions plus incidents of serious crimes in the year 2007-08. Rapes, drug and drug related criminal acts and killing are on the rise in India according to the statistics given in the said report.

As per the report India tops the killing lists in the world. More cases of killing occur in India than any other country of the world. Interestingly, the number of killings is two times (in percentage point) higher than the USA and three times more than that of Pakistan.

Commenting on the facts (of crime) a sociologist remarked that due to the Caste-classified social structure system (and dynamism) and massive economic inequalities the Indian society has an inherent crime propensity which are often ramified in actual occurrences of crimes. Moreover, in such caste (or rich) dominated social order (supported by political and state set up) it is easier to go scot-free by perpetuating even heinous crimes like killing.

On the other fence, the Indian press - both electronic and print - owned and dominated by the high ups on the power scales - deliberately abstain from printing a negative image of India. In fact, crimes are less reported in the Indian press unless such incidence has high sale value or circulation boosting potential.

Moreover, most cases are not registered with the police. Muscles and money (influenced or patronised by political power) often neutralise the process of law.

In jest, it is a fit case of "There happens many a things, Horatio, than are reported in the news papers."

Crimes allowed to go scot-free only widens the crime perpatuation net, observed the same sociologist. We guess the Indian sociologists would not disagree with their Bangladesh fellow at least on this observation.

Abu Musa Miah

Lalbagh, Dhaka