Shocking Statistics! Kerala Police failing to nab murder and rape accused who jump parole
Despite having systems in place to track such individuals, recent incidents, including the murder of a woman by a habitual criminal out on bail, highlight the shortcomings in the Kerala's law enforcement mechanisms.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: Statistics reveal a concerning trend of police inefficiency in detecting and monitoring serious criminals in the state. Over the past three years, out of 42 accused individuals who escaped from judicial custody, only 25 were apprehended. Moreover, there is significant negligence in overseeing habitual criminals on parole or bail during trial periods.
Despite claims by the Home Department asserting strong mechanisms to track habitual criminals and capture escapees, recent events, such as the murder of 26-year-old Anu from Perambra Nochad in Kozhikode by Mujeeb Rahman, a known habitual criminal, have challenged this assertion.
The police claim to have special registers and systems in place to apprehend jail escapees, parole absconders, and monitor habitual offenders, including those on bail during trial. However, recent figures demonstrate the significant shortcomings of these police systems in effectively addressing these issues.
In two decades, 70 accused have been paroled from various prisons in the state. 67 of them were convicted of murder. This is the figure from 1990 to 2022. However, of the 42 accused who escaped from judicial custody in the last three years, only 25 were apprehended. Prolonged trials in serious cases such as murder and rape also provide more opportunities for hardened criminals to commit additional crimes. Anu was brutally murdered after Mujeeb Rahman, who was in jail for raping an elderly woman during the COVID period, came out on bail.
Parole typically spans 60 days annually, initially granted for 15 days and extendable up to 30 days. It can occur twice or four times a year. Parole is secured with personal surety and two additional sureties, each amounting to ten thousand rupees. However, a key issue contributing to repeated instances of absconding is that if the sureties fail to appear, the bail amount of Rs 5,000 each is forfeited.
The police have the Suspect List, which keeps the details of habitual criminals, the Known Depredator (K.D)Â List, which keeps the details of those who have been convicted in more than three cases, and the dossier criminal (DC) List, which includes the details of those who have committed crimes in more than one district.
