The rise in carjackings

A city, over time, comes to be ‘associated’ with a peculiar crime trajectory. There was a time when two-wheeler-borne youths had unloosened terror on the streets, going about snatching gold chains in the tricity of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. The targets were random — morning, evening walkers, or a lady standing near the gate of her house. There was no ‘safe’ time  or confines. It was the only real fear known to residents then, apart from a few odd instances of break-ins. Of late, carjacking has gained notoriety. Several nervy incidents have been reported; the latest being in Panchkula, where a woman journalist was robbed of her car at midnight.

There are no safe sectors; each is as vulnerable. It is not happening on the periphery alone; the crime has also been reported from the heart of the towns. In August, carjacking at one of the busiest malls of Chandigarh sounded alarm bells, further exposing the city’s susceptibility. In October, another journalist was robbed of his car in the wee hours. In February, in what was a high-profile case, the son of a photo studio owner was kidnapped and his Mercedes taken away. The ease of crime is possibly due to porous borders that need to be manned better; and apparent poor coordination and intelligence sharing among the police forces. In all cases, criminals were brandishing firearms. Were these licensed? If yes, what is the criteria for the issuance of licence? If not, what is the source? If these are country-made weapons, why is the police, in close coordination with other states, not acting against the manufacturers?

That sloppy policing encourages crime is a no-brainer. Tricity is not, in terms of area, unmanageable for a police force with many PCR vehicles and a formidable presence on the roads (Panchkula, Mohali though lack everyday police visibility). Active policing is not just about setting up impromptu barricades, to check drunk driving on weekends and jumping the lights during weekdays. The primary duty is to keep the life and property of residents safe.