Cocktail of crime

Law breaking and violence characterise a city that is otherwise on the move

Sandeep Yadav Ghaziabad

It is Friday night and the thin weekend crowd at Silvercity multiplex, Ghaziabad, could not have been a pleasing sight for the proprietors. The men far outnumbered the few women present. Even the otherwise crowded McDonald’s bore a funereal-like despondency and the story was no different at the other eateries in the complex. The Rupali Petrol Station just across the road was already shut. When confronted with the question about the sparse crowd and meagre presence of women in the vicinity, an elderly gentleman looked up quaintly and said, “time to dekho boss, ye Ghaziabad hai (Look at the time boss, this is Ghaziabad)”. Feigning ignorance when this reporter told him it’s just eleven, the man seemed to lose his cool. “Baithe raho yehin, khud pata chal jayga jab koi utha le jayga (Keep sitting here and you will come to know when somebody will abduct you)”, he replied contemptuously. Of course the rain had played spoilsport but the shadow of underworld and violent crime as its natural by-product looms large on the daily life of the people in this western Uttar Pradesh (UP) town. Unlike, Delhi and Gurgaon, Ghaziabad is still struggling to gain the status of an A class dwelling site in spite of possessing all the ingredients that have made its counterparts the place to be in. Crime is the culprit.

Ghaziabad, with a population brimming close to l0 lakh, is one of the most industrialised cities in UP and has recently made it to the Newsweek’s list of the 10 most dynamic cities in the world. It has excellent connectivity with Delhi and serves as the abode for the salaried class that cannot afford the living expenses demanded by Delhi and Noida. The latter being the IT hub and home to Special Economic Zones attracts professionals who base themselves in Ghaziabad which is comparatively cheaper. The Grand Trunk (GT) Road linking Ghaziabad with Noida is strewn with professional institutes of all vocations pulling a large chunk of student population crowding the lanes of the two cities and boosting their economy. So far so good. But what spoils the party is the soaring crime graph. Not a day passes when some violent incident does not disrupt life for the citizens and keep Ghaziabad away from the A class city status.

Many reasons have all lent hand in giving shape to the image the city has. Brijesh Kumar, Justice, Supreme Court, enumerated, “Apart from the socio-economic and psychological conditions causing criminal tendencies to spurt, consumerism, price rise and scarcity of resources due to population explosion have also weakened the moral fabric of  society”. Unbridled construction activity is the latest scourge.

In last the two years eight multiplexes have cropped up and six others are in various stages of construction. While three new flyovers are functional today, 13 more are planed. It is boom time for contractors. Local politicians masquerading as contractors are using clout to bag lucrative contracts, with the blessings of their political bosses. Competition is rife, and murder and kidnappings are part of business. The police is hapless. “What can the khakhi do when the criminal is wearing a khadi? Half of these so-called youth leaders are rogues involved in all sorts of illegal activities. The moment we try to lay our hands on them our bosses from Lucknow show us our place”, says a district-level police officer on the condition of anonymity. Land prices are soaring, stakes are high and the rule of the game is that every bullet fired begets money.

The rapid industrialisation of Ghaziabad has boosted the per capita income of its residents, whose numbers are swelling exponentially. Today, there are more than 14,000 small and big industrial units here including the giants like Coca Cola, Dabur and ITC. RC Mishra, Secretary, Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), pointed out that the growth of the city is quite recent and can be attributed to the spill-over from Noida and Greater Noida. Whatever the cause but this urbanisation and opulence invites an underbelly. “Modernity and consumerism is dragging the youth into unlawful activities,” believes Sociologist Dipankar Gupta of Jawaharlal Nehru University. Theft is common; and kidnapping is easy money.

The proximity to the national capital has also contributed to the flourishing of crime and criminals. The city has become the favourite hide-out for lawbreakers on the run from Delhi and Haryana. The killers of Beant Singh, slain chief minister of Punjab, had stationed themselves in Ghaziabad. British national Bela Noous who was kidnapped from Kashmir was also kept at the outskirts of the city by the militants. Even a terrorist involved in the Red Fort attack had his driving licence issued by the RTO of Ghaziabad. “The familiarity of the routes and closeness to the area of target attracts the criminal to Ghaziabad,” said Ram Prakash Tewari of a local police station. 

However, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad, Piyush Mordia, disagrees with the crime thesis. “The crime graph in the city has gone down over the years. We have eliminated many dreaded criminals and round-theclock police surveillance is making things hard for the one roaming free”, claims Mordia. Prima facie the police records seem to substantiate his claims. Compared to 242 murders in 2000, the city recorded 180 murders in 2005. While there were just 4 cases of dacoity and 35 robberies last year, 2000 recorded 20 dacoities and 129 robberies. However, the residents are not interested in the statistics. Keshaw Tyagi, a criminal lawyer practising in the city, finds policing lax and holds them responsible for abetting crime. “When criminals have no fear for law or police it becomes very difficult to rein them. Police has become a licensed mafia. You can get away with committing any crime by palming the hands of these fellows,” explained Tyagi.

Another conjecture relating to the criminal activities in the region is attributed to the caste configuration of the district. The countryside is heavily dominated by the Gujjars and Yadavs who traditionally have been at loggerheads with each other since a long time. “When it comes to opposing a Gujjar all the Yadavs gang up behind their casteman. A small dispute is taken as the symbol of caste honour and blood and bullets have no count in these wars,” revealed Param Jeet Nagar of Jawali village. His observation is borne out by police records. With the acquisition of agricultural land Gujjar and Yadavs are now moving to the city loaded with money. But with no formal education, politics, crime and property dealing are the only options before them. A slow system of criminal justice acts as no deterrent to these crime bearers.