In addition to these two ever-evolving problems -- terrorism and organised crime -- Maria also pinpointed several other causes for concern: rise in cyber crime, crimes committed against the elderly, human trafficking and related crimes, white collar crime, middle class crime and vehicle thefts.

Speaking about cyber crime, Maria said that in 2006 there were 159 complaints registered with Mumbai police. That number soared to 775 by 2008. "This is the speed with which cyber crime is growing," Maria said. Popular crimes include credit card fraud, phishing, hacking, and the so-called 'Nigerian Scandal', of which there have been 9 complaints already in 2009 alone.

As for cases of motor vehicle thefts, they rose from 3621 in 2007 to 4068 in 2008, he said. Maria added, with more than a hint of irony, that during the run-up to elections, thefts of certain vehicles -- Scorpios and Taveras, for instance -- go up, as the demand for them in the northern states rises.