Petty crimes witness surge in Jalandhar
Jalandhar is witnessing an unsettling rise in petty crime cases with incidents of snatching, vehicle lifting and theft becoming a daily occurrence. Criminals are operating with brazen disregard for law, striking even in broad daylight and in well-off localities, forcing residents to question the effectiveness of law enforcement.
Incidents from August 31 to September 6
- Ronit, 22, was robbed of his phone by 3 men on a scooter in Avtar Nagar last Saturday
- Muneem Shantu robbed of ~40,000 at gunpoint near Nagra village on Saturday
- 80-year-old Janak Rani’s gold earrings were snatched and she was injured near Basti Sheikh
- Savita Rani’s purse was snatched in Urban Estate Phase-II on Monday
- A college girl’s phone was stolen on the Ladowali road on Thursday, the incident was caught on CCTV
- Auto driver Dinesh Kumar attacked near Ram Nagar railway crossing on Thursday night
- A thief climbed a tree to enter a house in Satkartar Avenue on Wednesday and he decamped with gold earrings
- Bag containing cash and documents stolen in Laxmipura on Wednesday
Eight such cases were reported in the first week of September. August saw 40 incidents of snatching, 29 vehicle thefts and 25 other theft cases according to the data collected from various police stations in the city.
One of the most shocking cases occurred on August 28, when Sunny, employee of a cable firm, was brutally attacked in Maqsudan. Snatchers slit his wrist with a sharp weapon in an attempt to steal his mobile phone, leading to the amputation of his hand. A few days later, another violent incident unfolded when auto-rickshaw driver Dinesh Kumar was ambushed by bike-borne criminals near the Ram Nagar Railway crossing. His resistance to their robbery attempt resulted in severe hand injuries to him.
Criminals have also started breaking into houses with alarming boldness. On Wednesday, a thief scaled a tree to access the rooftop of a house at Satkartar Avenue, Basti Nau. He then attacked a woman resident and snatched her gold earrings. He escaped by climbing down the tree, leaving the victim and her neighbours terrified. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed nearby. The police are investigating the incident.
Residents in Jalandhar West say such cases have become a regular occurrence. “Daily snatchings and thefts have become the new normal,” said Rajinder Sharma, a local resident. He said even the security guard hired by their locality was assaulted when he tried to stop the thieves.
Earlier this week, Shantu, an arhtiya, was robbed at gunpoint. Two men on a bike followed him on the Patel Nagar-Nagra village road and robbed him of Rs 40,000. Though the police have arrested one suspect, the business community remains on the edge, with many saying that it’s no longer safe to carry cash or valuables on two-wheelers.
Social activist Sanjay Sehgal said he wrote a letter to Punjab ADGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla regarding the rise in such crime cases in the city. Sehgal, whose daughter’s scooter was stolen, expressed frustration over the police’s failure to crack the case despite being provided the CCTV footage and evidence.
“Frustration among residents is growing by the day. Many shop owners are voicing concerns over the inefficiency of the current security measures,” Sehgal said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma claimed the crime rate had dropped by 47 per cent in the city over the past six months. Countering the figures provided by the correspondent, Sharma said only 18 snatching and 21 theft cases were recorded in August, with 72 per cent of the cases solved.
He said efforts were underway to curb the rise in petty crime cases.
