Former DIG Rajiv Ranjan Singh questions lack of police action after recent shootings
Key Points:
– Crime wave in Jamshedpur continues, causing fear among residents
– Former DIG criticizes police for not controlling gang wars
– Claims criminals may be getting political protection
JAMSHEDPUR – Former DIG Rajiv Ranjan Singh has voiced concerns about the increasing gang violence and recent shootings in Jamshedpur.
Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the former Deputy Inspector General (DIG), expressed alarm over the rising crime rate in Jamshedpur.
He cited recent incidents where criminals have been brazenly involved in shootings, with the latest being the murder of Vikas Gupta from the Ganesh gang.
Gupta was shot dead in Mango, leaving the community in shock.
Singh remarked that gang wars have intensified in recent months, with multiple killings linked to these conflicts.
In the last six months, several murders have taken place, including that of Shaktinath, the brother of Amarnath, who was killed in September.
Earlier in April, Sunny Yadav, a resident of Baridih, was gunned down near Vasundhara Estate.
February saw another shooting, with Raj Singh, a resident of Baikunth Nagar, being killed on Post Office Road.
Criminals Thriving Amid Political Protection?
Singh noted that while these gang members are killing each other, fear is spreading among the public.
According to him, these criminals are using violence to raise their own profile, with extortion rates increasing as a result.
"People believe these criminals are protected by political forces," Singh stated, pointing out the growing perception that political connections allow criminals to operate with impunity.
He also highlighted the apparent lack of fear among criminals toward the police, saying, "The kind of fear that criminals should have of the police is missing."
Singh further emphasized that the city is witnessing an increase in crimes such as drug abuse, public disturbances, and harassment of women.
Lack of Police Action Alarming
During his tenure between 2003 and 2006, Singh recalled that police officers frequently engaged in armed encounters with criminals, which instilled fear in the criminal community.
However, he criticized the current situation, where there have been no significant encounters between the police and criminals in the past two years.
Singh, who has been running a free legal advisory center since his retirement, expressed disappointment that law enforcement seems ineffective.
Most crimes in the city, he said, are related to disputes over land deals, with criminal gangs heavily involved in this illegal trade.
He stressed the urgent need for police to restore their authority in the eyes of both the public and criminals.
Without this, he warned, the trust between the police and the community could further erode.
