Delhi: 8 bodies found every day, most unidentified

At least eight bodies are found in the city every day and many of them remain unidentified and unclaimed. As many as 2,113 unidentified bodies were found till September 30 in the Capital, official statistics show.

Of a total of 37,838 unidentified bodies found across the country last year, 3,359 were from Delhi, National Crime Records Bureau data shows.

Other big states where a large number of such bodies were found include Maharashtra, which tops the list with 5,906 unidentified bodies, Tamil Nadu with 5,319 and Uttar Pradesh with 3,996 bodies. The states are much larger than Delhi.

Police figures indicate only 18% of the bodies found this year could be identified, while the rest were enlisted as unidentified or unclaimed. The last rites of such bodies are done by the police with the help of NGOs.

Intriguingly, the percentage of bodies identified has been declining over the years. Last year, only 21% of the bodies were identified and in 2011, the identities of 28% of the total 2,748 bodies could be confirmed. In 2010, the police had identified 30% of the total 2,877 bodies.

Delhi Police officers claim that a majority of such bodies remain unidentified because they come into the city through the Yamuna and several drains flowing in from adjoining states, including Haryana and UP.

In many cases, bodies are deliberately dumped at isolated places in Delhi.

“Criminals find it easy to dump bodies in Delhi after killing the victims elsewhere. This is happening because of porous borders,” said a senior police officer.

A fair number of unidentified or unclaimed bodies found in the city were of drug addicts and beggars or labourers. “Most of these people died natural deaths,” said the police officer.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/delhi-8-bodies-found-every-day-most-unidentified/article1-1141309.aspx