UP Police to Use Hindu Lunar Calendar to Track Crime, Claim Spurt in Crime on 'Darker Nights'

hatehs · Aug 22, 2023

UP Police to Use Hindu Lunar Calendar to Track Crime, Claim Spurt in Crime on 'Darker Nights'

In a circular to the police force, UP police chief, Vijay Kumar, said that state-wide analysis of crime shows that there is a rise in crime a week before and after the new moon of the 'Andher Paksh (Krishna Paksh)' of the Hindu Panchang.

Representative image of personnel of the Uttar Pradesh Police. Photo: PTI

Omar Rashid

GOVERNMENT
18 HOURS AGO

New Delhi: The police in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh are using the Hindu lunar calendar to map and track crimes that happen on ‘darker nights’ as per the phases of the moon.

In a circular, the state police chief Vijay Kumar has asked his colleagues to identify the dates of Amavasya (new moon) every month as per the Hindu panchang (calendar). The 1988-batch IPS officer said that a state-wide analysis of crime showed that there is an increase in crime a week before and after the new moon of the Andher paksh (Krishna Paksh) of the Hindu panchang. The period of this fortnight had darker nights.

“Criminal elements get more active at night and incidents of murder, loot, dacoity, theft and crimes against women take place,” Kumar, who holds a B. Tech degree in Civil Engineering, said in a circular dated August 14.
The DGP instructed all district police chiefs and police commissioners to develop an action plan to tackle crime after identifying crime hotspots through crime mapping as per the dates on the Hindu calendar. The information on crime alerts received on these nights through the Dial 112 emergency services should be used in this exercise along with the data uploaded on the CCTNS portal (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems).
Similar instructions were also given to the officials at the police station level to map and track crime.
The DGP instructed his forces to increase patrolling, pickets, and vehicular patrolling at night and carry them out in an effective manner to instill confidence in the public about their security.
On August 21, Kumar explained through a chart why he had issued the circular on “how policing can be done on the basis of the phases of the moon”.

“We conduct the activities of the police as per the Hindu panchang, which is the easiest way to understand the phases of the moon,” he said in a video. The purpose of the circular was to help people understand when criminals are most active so that they can be alert, the DGP.
According to the chart, August 1 was a full moon. The moon rise happened at 6 pm while the moon set was at 6 am. This meant that the entire night was bright. Seven days later, on August 8, it was a half-moon. The moon rise happened at 12 am while the moon set was at 12 noon the next day. The window from 6 pm to 12 midnight was dark meaning it was suitable for criminals.
August 16 was a new moon or Amavasya. The moon rise happened at 6 am while the moon set at 6 pm. This meant the entire night was dark. “The entire night was useful for criminals,” said Kumar.
On August 24, the moon rises at 6 pm while it will set at midnight. From midnight to 6 am the following day, the criminals get a dark night to operate, the officer said.
“The public must understand this to be alert. And police must increase its activities to the maximum,” he said.
The UP DGP defended his circular, saying it was a “traditional method” police officers have always followed.
He said it was “a scientific method” to keep track of crime by following the phases of the moon.
Since the Hindu calendar is based on phases of the moon (lunar), it is “more convenient” than the English calendar which is based on solar movements, said the officer to ANI.