Jammu district has topped the list for heinous crimes in Jammu and Kashmir as 576 such crimes were registered in the district in 2014.
Heinous crimes, according to Jammu and Kashmir Police, include murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping or abduction, rape, molestation, cruelty by husband, causing hurt and rioting.
Cases of cruelty by husbands (159) topped the list of heinous crimes in the district followed by 86 cases of attempt to murder.
The police in Jammu district also registered 21 murder cases in 2014, the highest in the entire state.
In addition, the police also registered 68 cases of rape, 81 cases of molestation, 73 cases of kidnapping, 71 instances of rioting and 17 hurt cases during the past year in the district.
In terms of population, Jammu district tops the state with 15.29 lakh people. The district is spread over 2,336 square kilometre with 25 police stations while 3,935 police personnel are engaged in maintaining law and order in the district.
Jammu district has the distinction of having international border as well as Line of Control (LoC), which makes it more volatile.
There are, however, multiple factors which are responsible for increase in crime rate in Jammu district, free entry of non-local labourers, Bangladeshis and Myanmar migrants being one of them. On number of occasions, the police have found non-locals being involved in heinous crimes.
The increasing drug menace has also a role to play in the increase of such crimes.“More and more youth in the district have been drawn towards drugs and at times when they don’t have money, they get lured by some anti-social elements which force them to indulge in such crimes.
Economic issues also play an important role in increase in crime rate,” a police officer said wishing anonymity.