Use of teargas, lathi etc would have turned Patiala House into another Jallianwalla Bagh: B S Bassi

Police Commissioner B S Bassi (right) with Chief of Bureau Maneesh Chhibber at The Indian Express office.

Why B S Bassi?

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi retires from service February 29 after 39 years in the force. Though in the news for investigation into the alleged acts in JNU, Bassi assumed command in the wake of the Dec 16 gangrape, which brought police under heavy scrutiny. Under his watch, police ushered in technology to bridge the gap between its men and the public, including mobile apps. Refusing to work purely on the basis of statistics, Bassi has also worked hard to ensure registration of all cases in Delhi and preferred to work harder on heinous crimes rather than property crimes

B S BASSI: Crime detection has not fallen in Delhi, registration of cases has increased. Crime detection was 53 per cent in 2012; 48 per cent in 2013; in 2014, 29 per cent; and in 2015, 27 per cent. That means things have stablilised. We know the real extent of our capacity to detect cases. That is why I started by saying that we are not able to solve 80 per cent of your theft cases. And in the 20 per cent cases which we detect, recovery of property is in hardly 4 to 5 per cent. So if you lose something in a theft in your house, there is a good chance cops will not be able to solve the case. So better go in for some better security measures at your homes, surveillance systems. Kindly go in for insurance. Don’t think B S Bassi, or for that matter any cop, will be able to detect your case. Don’t keep very expensive things at your home.

… The conviction rate in Delhi in 2010 was 56 per cent; 2011, 53 per cent; 2012, 54 per cent; 2013, 53 per cent; 2014, 47 per cent. So it is almost similar, while many more cases are being registered. That means many more criminals are being caught, also more criminals are getting convicted.