Severed human feet, ATM thefts: Crimes spike after lockdown, but police clueless
No leads have yet been found in the mysterious case of severed feet reportedly belonging to a dead woman and a foetus found dumped in a bush near the Press Club. Other crimes too remain unsolved
More than a month has passed since a pair of severed human feet and a foetus were found in the bushes along a cycle track near the busy Press light point in Sector 17, Chandigarh.
Police have still failed to make any headway in this and other cases after the lockdown when the administration began easing restrictions imposed following the Covid-19 outbreak.
On June 23, Ajit Kishori, a manager at the State Bank of India’s (SBI) local head office in Bank Square close by was walking on the cycle track after lunch when he spotted a severed foot wrapped in a newspaper. Another one was found soon with a foetus in a polythene bag nearby when police searched the area for clues.
Autopsies revealed that the body parts had been severed after death. The foetus, estimated to be eight months old, had injury marks around its head and neck and death had occurred due to haemorrhagic shock (extreme blood loss due to broken blood vessels).
Police, however, were not able to ascertain if the foetus was discarded after delivery or forcible abortion. Three-month records of pregnant women were also sought by police from hospitals to identify the deceased.
The body parts and the foetus had been sent for DNA profiling, but despite reminders reports had not been received, said deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and UT police spokesperson Charanjit Singh.
Robbery/ ATM thefts remain unsolved
No headway by the police was also made in the July 27 daylight robbery of ₹3lakh from a Western Union branch owner in Sector 27, even as the accused were caught on camera walking through the corridor with the cash.
On the intervening night of June 24 and June 25 an attempt was made to break open an SBI ATM at the Sector 44 market. The miscreants had sprayed paint on a CCTV camera installed inside the ATM booth and had cut the alarm wire.
Not just this, on June 18, an unidentified man with his face covered stole ₹7.65 lakh from a Union Bank of India ATM in Kishangarh.
Temple theft
On June 4, two masked men broke into the Shri Sanatan Dharam Pracheen Shiv Mandir in Sector 8 and decamped with gold and silver jewellery and ₹7,000 in cash. Though CCTV cameras captured the act, no arrests were made.
Snatchings yet be checked
After a lull during lockdown, the number of snatchings too went up, with 10 incidents reported this month from city including one attempt. Motorcycle borne miscreants are with impunity targeting women out on walks and escaping.
Police were also unable to identify a masked man who on July 21 attempted to snatch a bag with ₹10 lakh from two cashiers of Bitta petrol pump opposite Kalagram who had gone to NAC Manimajra to deposit the money. One of the employees had also sustained injuries.
