Be Alert On Amavasya, Follow Hindu Calendar: New Circular To UP Cops

A circular issued by the police chief of Uttar Pradesh has directed officials at the police station level to map and track crime according to dates on the Hindu calendar.

Police chief Vijay Kumar, a 1988 batch IPS office who was made officiating DGP in June this year, has said a statewide assessment has pointed to a high rate of crime a week before new moon -- amavasya -- and the week after it.

The police chief's circular directs district police wings to mark the fortnight of darker nights according to the Hindu calendar. District police forces have been asked to step up vigils and closely track crime alerts received on these nights. These inputs should then be used to identify crime hotspots and use them for more effective policing, the circular said. This exercise to identify hotspots should be done down to the level of each police station in the state, the state police chief said.

Mr Kumar explained through a chart "how policing should be done based on moon". "The public needs to know this to be aware when criminals mostly strike," he said.

Criminal elements are more active during the night and incidents such as murder, theft, burglary and crimes against women have a negative impact on public consciousness, the circular said. The circular stated that effective night policing is key to making citizens feel safe.

According to police sources, intensified vigil and close tracking of crimes during darker nights is an age-old practice, but putting "Hindu calendar" on an official document is probably a first.