Uttar Pradesh Police chief Vijay Kumar has asked officers to follow the panchang or the Hindu almanac for better policing.
In a circular sent to all senior police officers on August 14, the director general of police (DGP) asked them to keep track of the waxing and waning phases of the moon, saying criminals are likely to be more active during the darker nights.
Mr. Kumar also advised people to be more cautious on such nights.
He asked the officers to conduct policing on the basis of the 'chandrama ki kalayein' (phases of the Moon). The Hindu calendar is the easiest way to know the phases of the moon, he said.
Talking in detail on the circular, Mr. Kumar in a video released on August 21, said it is necessary for the general public to know about the phases of the moon so that they too can take necessary precautions.
Using a chart showing the time when the moon sets and rises on a given date, Mr. Kumar said, "Sometimes the night is partially dark and sometimes it is totally dark. The public should know so that they can be alert and the police should also know so that they can be more alert at that time."
Describing the phases of the moon through the chart, he said, “On August 8, there was complete darkness from 6 pm to 12 midnight... criminals can work actively (on such nights). After this, on August 16, it was the time of 'Amavasya' when the moon rises at 6 a.m. and sets at 6 p.m. This means that on August 16, it was completely dark all night. At that time the whole night was very favourable for the criminals."
The DGP said it will be a dark night again on August 24. From 12 midnight to 6 a.m., there will be darkness during which criminals do their work, he said.
"To know when it will be a dark night, Hindu Panchang can be used," he said.
"The panchang can tell about Amavasya, 'Shukla Paksha' and Saptami of Krishna Paksha (darker nights) when police have to be extra vigilant. This was the purpose of this circular. It is also useful for the public. Everyone should know when criminals can be active around him," he said.
