Thieves target Barnala shop for fifth time, cops in spot

Tribune News Service

Barnala, June 10

Thieves struck at the shop of Jagdish Kumar, near the Tarksheel roundabout, for the fifth time on Saturday night, even as the city witnessed four thefts in the last 24 hours.

The city has been witnessing thefts for the past six months and industrialists and traders have been protesting against the police failure to curb thefts.

“My shop has witnessed five thefts in the past one-and-a-half years. I installed CCTV cameras some time back, but on Saturday night thieves damaged that too. The police should take immediate action,” said Jagdish Kumar.

Besides, two mobile phone shops and a sanitary store in the Farwarhi market were broken into. The police have procured the footage of CCTV cameras installed at these shops and started investigating the matter.

“The police claim to have increased patrolling, but had they initiated effective steps, thefts would not have taken place repeatedly,” said Surinder Kumar, a local shopkeeper. Terrorised by repeated thefts and subsequent police failure to arrest the accused, locals had protested in front of the Barnala SSP office on May 28. They have announced to meet Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Director General of Police.

“We are living in terror for the past six months. On Saturday night, material worth Rs 10 lakh was stolen from four shops. Thefts are taking place repeatedly, but the police have failed to take action,” alleged Vijay Garg, chairman of the Industry Chamber, Barnala.

Barnala SSP Harjeet Singh denied the allegations of any laxity on part of the police. “We have increased patrolling and constituted special teams. We are trying our level best to arrest the thieves,” said the SSP.