Lucknow/IBNS: The Uttar Pradesh Police Department has issued a circular for all officials to be alert on amavasya (the lunar phase of the new moon) and track crime according to dates on the Hindu calendar.

Police chief Vijay Kumar, a 1988 batch IPS officer who was made officiating DGP in June this year, has said a statewide assessment has indicated that there is a high rate of crime a week before new moon-amavasya -and the week after it.

The police chief's circular directs district police wings to mark the fortnight of darker nights according to the Hindu calendar.

District police forces have been asked to step up vigils and closely track crime alerts received on these nights.

These inputs should then be used to identify crime hotspots and use them for more effective policing, the circular said.

This exercise to identify hotspots should be done down to the level of each police station in the state, the state police chief said.

"The public needs to know this to be aware when criminals mostly strike," the police chief said.

Criminal elements are more active during the night and incidents such as murder, theft, burglary and crimes against women have a negative impact on public consciousness, the circular said. The circular stated that effective night policing is key to making citizens feel safe.