Navi Mumbai - Law and Order

Law and Order

As the population and prosperity of the city rose through the years, it began to attract more criminal activity. Navi Mumbai's crime count jumped up from 2,763 in 2003 to 3,571 in 2004. One of the main reasons for the spurt in crime is continuous political meddling in police investigations and the grossly under-staffed police force. There are very few police chowkies throughout Navi Mumbai with virtually non existent beat chowkies and traffic police. Criminal activities in Navi Mumbai include chain snatching, pickpocketing, cellphone snatching. These crimes are mainly confined to sparsely populated areas. Navi Mumbai has witnessed several vehicle thefts and burglaries involving unoccupied houses. Murder and armed robbery take place in significant numbers. Riots and community feuds take place, especially in the Ghansoli area. There have been several instances where mobs of frustrated native villagers have beaten innocent law abiding residents. Nerul is especially plagued by robbery. The number of accidents on the Palm Beach Road caused by are growing at an alarming pace due to non existent traffic police or security cameras. The absence of street lights on the highway between Belapur and Kharghar poses a continued danger to motorists.

Shops and housing colonies often hire private security guards, as the police force is often overstretched. Businesses are expected to shut shop by 10pm. The Mumbai underworld has begun to take notice of the city, targeting the increasingly thriving businesses of cable operators, builders, and real estate developers for extortion. On the whole, crime in Navi Mumbai is much less than in Mumbai.