City people taking to self protection

DISAPPOINTED WITH the police for its inability to prevent and solve the rising number of incidents of crime and violence in the city, residents have decided to indulge in self-protection. Small groups, which would stay awake and guard during the night, have been constituted as a first step.

DISAPPOINTED WITH the police for its inability to prevent and solve the rising number of incidents of crime and violence in the city, residents have decided to indulge in self-protection. Small groups, which would stay awake and guard during the night, have been constituted as a first step.

After the incident of loot and murder at Yashoda Nagar, youths have started patrolling the area. “We are so scared after the incident that residents immediately decided to form groups of about five persons to patrol the area during the night,” said one the residents. While in Bahagwant Nagar, despite the chilly nights, armed villagers are sleeping on roofs, anticipating another strike by the dacoits.

Said Vikas Sharma, a marble dealer of Kidwai Nagar, “I no more have faith in the police. I am going to hire armed guards of a private security agency for my establishments and house.”

Though, of late more and more people had starting opting for security guards of private agencies, there was a sudden rise in requests for armed security personnel after the recent incidents of abduction, loot and murder, Neeraj Tiwari of the SGS Security Agencies told HT. Not only this, various trader organisations and market associations too were hiring private watchmen. Shopkeepers no more trust the old time favourites “Nepali Gaurkhas” and insist on appointing trusted armed security persons for night vigil.

“With the police unable to protect us and miscreants on the prowl, it has become a necessity for us to hire private security,” said Gyanesh Mishra, chief secretary, Kanpur Grain Traders Association. “As both, our daily cash transactions and the dealers who come with huge amounts of cash are under threat, we are left with no option but to use the services of private security agencies,” he added. The number of firearm license applications with the administration to has increased manifold. But the process to obtain a license is so tedious that some of the people have forgotten that they had even applied for one.

“These licenses are meant only for politicians and their kin. When there is no way a common man can get them without approach or bribing the officials, how will he protect himself from criminals,” said Surendra Maithani, a trader leader.