The year began on a bloody note. A 40-year-old woman, who had gone missing from her house for 36 hours, was found murdered in a naked condition in the forested area near Maloya in January. The assailant had tied the woman’s hands behind her back and stuffed clothes in her mouth. A forensic examination of the scene of crime and the body had brought a deja vu feeling to a senior forensic expert at CFSL, Sector 36, who conveyed to the Chandigarh Police that the murder could be the handiwork of the assailant who was involved in the murder of a young woman student in 2010.

The police have still not been able to arrest the assailants in both the cases, although an FIR was registered at Maloya police station and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted.

Woman student killed by her maternal uncle in Sector 41

Anjali Malik, 22, a Panjab University student, was stabbed to death by her maternal uncle, who was objecting to her proximity to boys, at her house in Accountant General Colony, Sector 41, on August 20. The accused maternal uncle, Satbir Singh, was later found convicted in double murder case. He had jumped bail two years ago. The victim, Anjali Malik, was pursuing graduation at Panjab University and simultaneously preparing for NEET exam. Police said the victim’s mother and younger brother, Deepak Malik, 20, was present at the house when the murder took place around 5.30 am on August 20. The assailant is still on the run. Anjali’s father was killed in a road accident.

Unsolved carjacking, broad daylight burglaries, thefts

More than 55 per cent cases of burglaries, thefts, snatchings and a carjacking incident remained unsolved this year.

The carjacking took place in broad daylight in Sector 44 when three unknown men captured a car while a retired woman teacher, Praveen Kaur, was inside it. Her husband, Kamaljit Singh, had gone to fetch dairy products from a booth in Sector 44 market on October 9. Later, the robbed car was traced to Punjab. The robbers are still at large.

Among many unsolved burglary cases is the one in which a recently employed house maid drugged her employer, Mitali Wadhawan, and decamped from the house in Sector 10 with around Rs 17 lakh, gold ornaments and imported watches.

Mitali’s husband, Arun Wadhawan, is a businessman. He along with his son had gone to the local market when the incident happened on September 11. The maid, who is a native of Nepal, was believed to have entered Nepal. She is still at large.

Audio tape scandal involving former DGP, dismissed cop

A purported recorded conversation between former Punjab DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya, 1986 batch IPS officer, and a dismissed Punjab policeman, Sarabjit Singh, hit the headlines as it appeared that the two were discussing cross-border terrorism links with Punjab-based gangsters. The audio was claimed to be crucial for national security and the matter was later handed over to the premier investigation agency, National Investigation Agency. The dismissed policeman, Sarabjit Singh, was arrested by the Chandigarh Police for allegedly issuing fake appointment/promotion letters signed by DGP Chattopadhyaya in January 2022. The agencies are still not able to establish how the audio got leaked.

Premature repatriation of SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal to Punjab cadre

SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal, a 2009 batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, was relieved from his post as SSP (UT) with immediate effect cutting short his three-year-long tenure on December 11. Chahal, who rose from the rank of an ASI to SSP after cracking the civil services in 2009, had joined the Chandigarh Police on three-year deputation in October 2019. The repatriation order was issued by Administrator (UT)-cum-Governor, Punjab, Banwarilal Purohit. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann shot a letter to the Governor expressing his resentment. Later, Purohit advised Mann to check all facts before raising the issue and mentioned in his letter that Chahal was repatriated for misconduct, a charge denied by Chahal. The officiating charge of SSP (UT) was given to Haryana cadre IPS officer, Manisha Chaudhary, who is also SSP (traffic & security). Later, the UT received a panel of three IPS officers of Punjab and forwarded it to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Anti-drink driving nakas back after 3 years on Chandigarh roads

Drink driving challans were back this year — after a break of three years due to Covid-19. On December 9, the Chandigarh traffic police decided to resume challan drives against drunk drivers. Around 200 drivers have been challaned since then. Instead of using plastic pipes, disposal card (paper) pipes are being used with breathalyser for checking the presence of alcohol in the body. The UT traffic police has around 55 alcohol-sensor breathalysers and plans to intensify the challan drive keeping in view the New Year’s Eve. Anti-drink-driving nakas were withdrawn due to restrictions during the pandemic. But keeping in view the increasing number of fatal accidents, especially during night, the traffic police resumed these nakas.

New methodology, system and centres

The Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in July this year, came to the rescue of Chandigarh Police personnel. The system, which is part of Smart City project and linked with at least 435 high-resolution cameras installed at all the vital junctions and roundabouts, is able to capture and record the vehicles with the registration numbers. Besides, cracking down on the traffic rule violators, these cameras have also been instrumental in trailing the stolen motor vehicles on the city roads. There are plenty of cases, including burglaries at two IAS officers of Punjab in Sector 7, which were cracked on the basis of ITMS and ICCC (Integrated Command & Control Centre). Initially, the ITMS was being operated from ICCC in Sector 17. Later, a separate control room which was named as Police Command & Control Centre (PCCC) was opened for the traffic police personnel. This centre is also situated in Sector 17.

In another move under the Smart City project, the CCTV cameras installed in all 17 police stations were also replaced this year. Around 3.50 lakh motorists were challaned through ITMS system this year — around 36 per cent more than those challaned in 2021.

Many heinous crimes remained unsolved this year

The murder of Seema Goyal, wife of PU Professor Bharat Bhushan Goyal, along with many other cases remained unsolved in 2022 too. Seema was found dead while her hands and legs were tied at her house on PU campus on Diwali eve in November 2021.

The body was first spotted by her husband, Prof B B Goyal. Police had worked on many theories but failed to make any headway.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Gandhinagar, had declined to conduct a narco-analysis test of the professor. Police had collected blood samples of the victim’s family members. The report is yet to come. Similarly, a murderous attempt on a home guard volunteer, Parkash Negi, who fought with an armed robber at Sector 28 in 2021, is still unsolved. In June 2020, parts of a mutilated body were found abandoned near Sector 17. A murder case was registered at Sector 17 police station but is yet to be solved.