Jammu, June 15: Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti today accused National Conference leaders of institutionalizing crime in Jammu by patronizing criminals.
 Expressing her concern over murder of Shaleen Gupta for ransom, the opposition party leader alleged that the repots that pour in after the crime indicates that the National Conference leader TS Wazir was involved in giving political patronage to the killers of the minor.
 “The crime in Jammu is being institutionalized with the patronization of politicians and land mafia,” she alleged while addressing media persons here today.
 “The way evidences in Amandeep murder case were fudged with the assistance of politicians, the political interference in double murder case at Transport Nagar and recent   political support to the killers of minor, gives a clear evidence about the level of political-criminal nexus” Mehbooba alleged.
 The PDP president alleged that earlier, the criminals were used for facilitating land grabbing, however, now they are using the antisocial elements for executing kidnapping for ransom. She said heinous crimes like murder have witnessed a steep increase  duering past some time while referring to the recent killing of  Shalin Gupta and high profile Amendeep murder case.
 Referring to the killing of Nai Basti boy, the PDP leader alleged that the main accused Davinder Singh was first arrested and later, released from the police custody under pressure from political leadership.
 “The situation in Jammu is much more dangerous than Kashmir,” the PDP president cautioned the state government while comparing the two regions.
 In Kashmir valley, government slapped PSA on 15 years old boy allegedly involved in stone pelting, while in Jammu politicians themselves gave patronage to criminals, grabbers who are involved in heinous crime instead of punishing them.”
 Accusing the coalition partners, she said that the ruling party (NC) in Jammu is allegedly backing criminals who have allegedly killed 10 year  old boy for ransom.
 “Politicians, bureaucrats and big business houses are taking benefit of their nexus with the criminals and they are engaged in grabbing forest and state land illegally,” she alleged.
 She also urged the government saying not to use police force to fulfill their political interests. Instead, the police department should be engaged in protecting the lives of the people, while saying that the coalition government must wake up now and take some necessary steps to control increasing crime.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST