18,000 criminals held in 2003, claims police

Capital City Police during year 2003 has rounded up more then 18,000 proclaim offenders which is 2,500 more than a year before.
The police has also cracked down 385 gangs of dacoits and arrested 1,975 criminals and recovered stolen goods worth Rs 70 million.
According to a Punjab government spokesman, the police had launched a massive campaign against the proclaimed offenders and criminals escaped from various courts. At least 8,107 proclaimed offenders and 9,981 were escaped criminals, 447 were involved in murder cases, 1,906 in attempted murder, 201 in dacoity cases, 706 theft, 2,108 robbery while 13,690 were involved in other crimes.
The spokesman said the police has also laid special emphasis on investigating the pending cases, adding during 2003, chalans of 30,906 cases were sent to various courts, and cases of 64 blind murders, 32 cases of murder dacoity, 415 cases of manslaughter, 104 cases of dacoity, 892 cases of robbery, 34 cases of attempted murder, 614 cases of car-snatching and recovered cash and goods worth Rs 99 crore.
He said this ratio of recovery was three percent more than the last year. The recovered goods included 282 cars, 471 motorcycles, 24 heavy-duty vehicles and 1,896-tola gold ornaments, the spokesman added.