Pune Police chief counters Supriya Sule's 'crime capital' charge with data

PUNE: A public spat has erupted between political leaders and the police in Pune over the city’s crime situation, after Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule termed it the “capital of criminals” and sought that Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar be sent on forced leave.

Responding to Sule's allegations, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar issued a detailed 9-page letter, offering a point-by-point rebuttal. In the letter, Kumar presented official statistics to back his claim that the city's crime rate has steadily declined.

The political storm erupted after a recent illicit liquor tragedy in Pune claimed 21 lives. Following the incident, MP Supriya Sule held a press conference and launched a scathing attack on the police administration.

Addressing her allegations, Commissioner Amitesh Kumar wrote, “We always welcome constructive criticism. However, circulating incorrect statistics on social media creates an atmosphere of distrust among citizens, which anti-social elements exploit. This defames the city and demoralises the police force."

He further appealed to everyone to guide and support the police force to preserve Pune's identity as an "IT and Education Hub".

Citing data for the period between January 1 and May 27, 2026, the Commissioner claimed a notable decline across major crime categories, including chain snatching (56 per cent), robbery (36 per cent), vehicle theft (28 per cent), attempt to murder (27 per cent), housebreaking (14 per cent), vehicle vandalism (over 50 per cent), and murder (10.5 per cent). He added that six out of ten recent murder cases were linked to domestic disputes.

Citing rankings from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the Commissioner highlighted that Pune ranks 18th among 19 major metropolitan cities in India in terms of cognizable offences, making it one of the safest cities in the country. He credited this to the stringent measures taken in the last two years.