After kidnapping incidents, residents take precautions

The recent spate of abductions of children in the city has left the citizens worried more than the police department, and Kandivli residents have started taking steps to ensure their children's safety.

The recent spate of abductions of children in the city has left the citizens worried more than the police department, and Kandivli residents have started taking steps to ensure their children's safety.

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In April, six-year-old Karnit Shah was kidnapped from his building compound in Pranik Gardens at Mahavir Nagar in Kandivli west. He was rescued later, but the incident raised fears about security in the area. Many of Mahavir Nagar's societies then pasted notices listing security measures.

Residents were asked not to bring their friends and outsiders inside the society premises. Guards were not to allow autorickshaws entry even if they were ferrying a resident. "Though these measures were inconvenient, it was done for their benefit," said a resident of Panchsheel Gardens Co-operative Housing Society in Mahavir Nagar. Locals kept a close watch on suspicious persons in the area. "An autorickshaw was seen driving around the society a few days after Karnit was rescued. Residents were alerted," another resident said.

Pranik Gardens residents also changed their watchmen and prohibited entry to outsiders

"We have been meeting society members often to ask them to take actions to ensure safety of the residents," said a senior police officer, adding it was not possible to guard citizens who did not take an active part in their safety.

"There have been a few kidnapping cases in the north region of the city. But this could happen anywhere. We are taking steps to make sure that such incidents do not occur in the future," said Ramrao Pawar, additional commissioner of police (north region).