FIRs to be filed within half hour

CHENNAI: Police officials refusing to register complaints is set to become a thing of the past. Following an internal meeting at the suburban commissionerate, S R Jangid, commissioner of police (Chennai suburbs), said that all first information reports (FIRs) related to property offences are to be registered within half an hour of the complaint. If an official fails to do so, stern action will be taken.
The suburban commissionerate posed recovery figures of over 88% last year. A total of 824 cases related to property offences, including thefts, burglaries, house break-ins, dacoity, chain-snatching and pick-pocketing, were registered during the year. The property offence cases include those registered under IPC sections 454, 457, 379 and 380. Of this 724 cases were detected and property recovered.
However, residents registered complaints in the public grievances registry saying that their complaints were not recorded by police officials at the station.
Police sources said the primary reason for officers refusing to register FIRs was that recording more cases could make the area seem crime prone. If the property was not recovered, it would show the station in poor light. To avoid this, police do not show smaller cases, such as chain snatching or pick-pocketing, on record.
With this issue coming to light, senior officials of the Tamil Nadu police have advised all seven commissionerates to register FIRs on time.
The suburban commissioner told TOI, "We have decided to make sure that all FIRs related to property offence cases will be registered within half an hour. If the inspectors and other officials fail to do so, the public can inform the receptionists at the police station and ask for their assistance in registering the FIR. If they still have a problem, they can call a crime grievance cell and inform them."
Officials said no person could be denied their right to file a complaint. People who have problems while registering FIRs related to property offences in suburban Chennai can call 9790819100.