Despite vigil, BBN area sees spurt in crime

Ambika Sharma

Solan, March 28

The deteriorating law and order situation in the industrial cluster of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) even after the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct has brought the police working under scanner.

The spurt in crime is at a time when the Central forces have been deployed in the industrial cluster to ensure law and order in view of the Lok Sabha polls.

On March 25, 15 armed miscreants decamped with 1,500-kg brass parts from a bath fittings manufacturing unit at Bhatoli Kalan village in Baddi.

The dacoity took place between 2 am to 3:30 am and the security staff failed to act against the armed miscreants.

Surprisingly, even after winning a national award for having the highest density of close-circuit TV camera (CCTV) network, the Baddi police could do a little to deter the miscreants.

The police investigations revealed that the miscreants were dealing in selling scrap in the Baddi area and had sold the loot to a Chandigarh trader who sold it further, Baddi Deputy Superintendent of Police Khajana Ram said.

The material was yet to be recovered. Three sections of Central forces were stationed in the industrial cluster with nine personnel available in each section.

They were deputed to set up nakas in the Nalagarh, Baddi and Barotiwala areas.

Several cases of liquor meant for sale in other states had also been confiscated in the recent days, reflecting the ease with which the bootleggers were operating.

At a time when the poll code was in force, the Nalagarh police had booked 35 men and women in a high-profile gambling racket at a Nalagarh hotel recently.

A sum of Rs 3.72 lakh was recovered from them, as per the initial police claims though the police officials later stated that chits were recovered from the accused which could be encashed at other places.

The Excise Department had confiscated 80 bulk litre of premium brand of Indian Made Foreign Liquor from a bar at Baddi, besides 25

bottles of high-end brands not meant for sale in Himachal from a hotel in the last few days.