Murder in Kotdwar speaks of the deteriorating law and order situation

The law and order situation is deteriorating day by day in Uttarakhand with incidents of brutal murders, rapes, and a crime against women on the rise. The state police as known as Mitr police undoubtedly try its best to control the rising crime but the situation seems to be going out of hand.

When Uttarakhand was part of undivided Uttar Pradesh it was really difficult to control crime in this hilly region as the liquor mafia allegedly had its say. Then the entire police and administrative set up was controlled from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and things were difficult to control but after the formation of the state in the year 2000 it was felt that the crime rate would now come down drastically and the people will heave a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately today Uttarakhand has allegedly become a safe haven for dreaded criminals of other states who seek peaceful clandestine hiding shelter. The state completely assures safety and security. This is undoubtedly a disturbing trend. Just a few days ago a five-year-old girl was obnoxiously raped and brutally murdered by a rapist mutilating her body badly into pieces.

Last year a 19-year-old girl was stalked and thereafter immolated in broad daylight in Pauri Garhwal followed by a number of incidents of rapes, women assaults, murders, and gangsterism. Just today a young man named Shekhar Dhaundiyal who had come to Kotdwara, under Pauri Garhwal district at the office of Shiva Cable from Dehradun was shot dead by three miscreants in broad daylight while he was busy telephoning someone from a private telephone booth.

While Shekhar Dhaundiyal was busy conversing on the telephone outside the Shiva Cable office three men came walking and killed him with a number of gunshots from point-blank range. On hearing the sound of repeated gunshots the staff and employees and the people from nearby came to his rescue but by then the killers had walked away.

Grievously injured and profusely bleeding Dhaundiyal was immediately ferried to the government hospital in Kotdwara but was declared brought dead after succumbing to the bullet injuries. Kotdwar is quite a busy area and absence of the police patrolling and policemen on duty in this busy market area allows the miscreants to conveniently commit this gruesome broad daylight murder. There was commotion all around.

This raises certain questions and also questions the credibility of the Uttarakhand police. People especially the women are worried about their own security.