Dip in heinous crimes in Chandigarh but Pocso cases a concern.

Chandigarh: The city reported a decline of 24% in snatching and a slight drop in heinous crimes, but cases of rape of minors and molestation increased in 2025.Police data shows that 16 police stations recorded 100 snatching cases in 2025, a drop from 131 last year. Worryingly, though, 66 cases of minors' rape, were recorded, up from 47 in 2024. Police also lodged 14 cases of molestation of minor girls, a rise from 8 the previous year.There was a dip in registration of heinous-crime cases, from 418 last year to 412 in 2025, and 88% of these were solved, said police.On the other hand, the Chandigarh Police tightened the noose around drug peddlers, registering 149 cases under NDPS Act –- 59 more than last year -- and arresting 235 suspects. Enforcement under Arms Act was intensified too -- 100 cases were registered in 2025, up from 77 last year.Chandigarh Police also launched a crackdown on unauthorised immigration companies, registering 129 cases of cheating against the owners and employees of 92 immigration firms for luring people with false promises of sending them abroad but failing to provide visas. During the year, 70 FIRs were registered against 73 firms, and 73 persons were booked under Section 223 of BNS-2023 for violating the DM Orders.UT police also busted an inter-state fake currency racket and arrested four suspects in circulating counterfeit Rs 500 currency notes. Fake currency of Rs nearly 22.4 lakh face value was seized from them.To improve civic discipline and curb public drinking in the city, cops registered 200 cases and arrested 220 people for consuming liquor in public.Cops also nabbed Joban Jit Singh alias Billa and Sumandeep alias Simma, members of the Happy Passia terror module, from Sector 39, Chandigarh, foiling a potential terror attack. The accused tried to threaten police with pistols but were disarmed and apprehended. Joban is wanted in multiple cases, including an RPG attack in Gurdaspur and for firing at a jewellery shop and liquor vendor in Amritsar.Police also arrested Harwant Singh alias Harry, a member of the Babbar Khalsa terrorist group, from village Daria, Chandigarh, in June this year. He was involved in anti-national activities and firing cases in Punjab on directions from Manu Agwan and Happy Pasia, and they and Gopi Nawasaria supplied arms and funds, all linked to Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda.DGP Dr Sagar Preet Hooda told TOI that Chandigarh Police's sustained, proactive, and intelligence-led policing efforts resulted in a slight decline in heinous crimes in 2025. He said effective investigation, timely follow-up, and focused action against offenders led police to solve around 88% of heinous crimes this year.SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said UT police has a zero-tolerance policy towards crime against women and minors. Whenever police receive any kind of complaint from women, especially minor girls, FIRs are lodged and a probe begins without delay. All rape cases were worked out in 2025, she added.