Tackle The Wave Of Crime Amid The Pandemic

The Tribune     17th May 2021     Save    

Context: There is a need to strictly check the rising wave of crimes amid the pandemic.

Rising crimes amid pandemic:

  • Incidents of Black-marketing and Profiteering:
    • Remdesivir injection in Delhi costed for Rs 70,000 as against its normal cost of about Rs 4,000.
    • A hospital bed in Bengaluru was being sold for Rs 1.20 lakh.
    • An oxygen concentrator costing less than Rs 50,000 is being sold for about Rs 1.50 lakh.
    • Selling of old dirty gloves by just washing them with water or the making of RT- PCR kits with dirty hands.
    • Looting cash and jewellery from dead bodies in hospitals or the fleecing of people at cremation grounds.
  • Duping over social media: Some social media criminals are offering all kinds of help, including plasma donation.
    • However, are committing cybercrime by demanding money digitally at the last moment and then siphoning off the money from the bank accounts of victims after getting the credit card details.
  • Flouting of Covid norms: In the legislature, many politicians are flouting Covid safety protocols by holding or attending big wedding receptions and rallies where masks and social distancing go for a toss.
    • Many states allowed big religious gatherings like the Kumbh Mela or funeral processions like the one noticed at Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.
    • The Madras High Court had recently asked why EC should not be charged with murder for not banning election rallies during the pandemic.
  • Lack of accountability: Enough testing and tracing are not being done because there are an inadequate number of labs.
    • The worst is the concealing of the correct information about the number of cases and deaths by the states.
    • The Allahabad High Court has called the deaths due to the unavailability of medical help as ‘genocide’.

Way Forward: Strong action needs to be taken against all criminals from all fields as per the law.

  • Enforcing the National Security Act (NSA).
  • Bring in new laws: Where there is no law or inadequate law
    • Such crimes should be made non-bailable offences.
    • Fast investigation and fast-track courts should be formed and exemplary punishment given.
    • The properties of the guilty should be confiscated as per the provisions built into these laws.
    • Rewards to whistleblowers should be included in the new laws.
    • Enlarging the scope of Drugs & Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 2008, which is currently restricted to drugs.
  • Social Boycott: Such criminals should be socially boycotted by extensively naming and shaming them.
    • As a society, we should learn from countries like Japan that are at their best behaviour during tragedies.