Chennai tops in murder rate in state

As per the SCRB records, Chennai displays a higher number of murders being reported in comparison to Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchy, Salem, Tirunelveli and Tiruppur.   Sample this, in 2015, a total of 129 murders were reported in Chennai alone followed by Madurai which witnessed as many as 40 murders. The lowest was at Tiruchy, which recorded 14 murders. 

However, surprisingly, no conviction or acquittal of murder have been recorded by the SCRB in 2015. But the intriguing part is that the conviction rate has been dropping considerably since 2005 so much so that out of the 117 murder cases recorded a mere 54 persons were convicted while 55 persons were allowed to go scot free. Worst is, in 2013, the number of conviction fell drastically that out of the 186 murders reported, just two persons were convicted. 

A senior police official said that in these 129 murders which occurred in the city, less than ten per cent can be attributed to the rowdies or gangsters while 90 per cent murders transpire due to sudden provocation or emotional outrage by family or friends. The murders take place due to family disputes, fight over a property or extra-marital affairs. 

When a murder takes place, the police takes the motive into account and registers a case, however in the end the conviction rate is less. The witness turns hostile because the deceased or accused is a known person, this directly affects the conviction rate in murder cases. ‘If it is a murder in the family the witnesses refrain from giving statement or they are influenced by money’, say the police. 

 Advocate N Raja Senthoor Pandian of Madras High Court, says “Even as most of the murders are committed by known persons, the motive or reason is mostly related to relationship issues. Over the past few years, husbands being murdered are on the rise. The conviction rates are on a low as family members who end being the lone witnesses do not cooperate during the trial and most of the times turn hostile.” 

Also, pointing out that the investigation must not rely on witnesses alone, he insisted the that the police must look for other forensic evidence and other private witnesses who were at the scene of occurrence. The police must protect the witnesses and must not allow him or her to turn hostile, he said, adding that the Prosecutor also has an effective role since they are empowered to cross examine the witness.