Carjacking incidents on the rise in tricity
Consistently rising number of carjacking incidents in the tricity has left residents worried over this brazen trend, proving the inefficiency of Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula police to keep a check on miscreants.
Consistently rising number of carjacking incidents in the tricity has left residents worried over this brazen trend, proving the inefficiency of Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula police to keep a check on miscreants.
In majority of these incidents in the recent past, miscreants have succeeded in dodging cops and carried out robberies at gunpoint.
This year alone, over 20 cases of carjacking - SAS Nagar district tops the chart with at least 15 carjacking incidents - have been reported in the tricity. In Chandigarh, two incidents of carjacking were reported in the past two months.
It has been learnt that cops' inability to share information, exchange notes and scan close circuit television (CCTV) footage have resulted in free movement of miscreants from one place to other.
Incidents in SAS Nagar
October 6: A Swift car was snatched at Zirakpur-Patiala highway from the roadside. Miscreants approached the car driver, abused him and asked to step out and fled with the car.
Status: Case under investigation.
October 2: Four armed men snatched a car at gunpoint on the Mullanpur-Baddi road. Miscreants rammed their vehicle into the victim's car and fled with his vehicle after flashing the pistol.
Status: Police failed to nab robbers even after identification
October 2: A swift car was snatched after robbers entered into an argument with the victim who was sitting in his car.
Status: Cops yet to trace miscreants.
September 20: Three unidentified persons robbed a car from a doctor couple at the gunpoint at Phase 5 and even fired gun shots.
Status: Case unsolved
January 15: Miscreants fled away with Toyota Innova SUV at the busy Kharar-Landran road.
Status: Police yet to crack the case.
January 8: A car was snatched from two Class 11 students by two armed men in Phase 7, SAS Nagar. Miscreants had forcibly taken students along and pushed out of the car at Nabha, Punjab. The car was later traced by the Barnala police.
Status: Case solved
June 23: A girl was robbed at gunpoint in Zirakpur. During late night hours, two unidentified youth abducted the 26-year-old girl in her Toyata Innova SUV (PB 03 AA 0900), released her a few kilometers away, and fled with the car.
Status: Investigation underway.
In Chandigarh:
July 7: The car of a Haryana undersecretary was snatched after he was thrown out of the car near Kurali. Undersecretary Ishwar Singh was abducted, thrashed and thrown out from the moving car at about 6am on the busy road outside Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT-43).
Status: No arrest so far
October 12: An Indica car was snatched at gunpoint from an SAS Nagar resident near the Kalibari traffic lights in Sector 47 during the wee hours. Four youngsters forced the victim to get out of the vehicle and sped away in it, leaving behind their accidental damaged Suzuki Alto at the scene.
Status: Police have recovered the Indica car but have not been able to nab a prime suspect, Sandeep resident, of Sector 38 West.
Official Speak
SSP of SAS Nagar, Inder Mohan Singh
Presently different gangs are operating in the tricity who indulge in planned robbery and carjacking. To evade arrest, these members don't stick to one place.
Modus Operandi
1. Miscreants, in a group, suddenly bang the car from rear or from the side, and ask driver to stop. Flee away with the car, after thrashing the victim and throwing him out.
2. Robbers pose as cops and intercept the vehicle on a deserted place or dim-lit road, and snatch away the vehicle. Cars already parked at the road side on highways are most vulnerable to snatching.
3. Strangers enter into the useless argument with the driver of a stationary vehicle and force him to get off from it.
Areas prone to car snatching
Patiala highway, Mullanpur-Baddi Road, Kharar highway and Ambala highway
Timings: Majority of these snatchings incidents have happened late night after 11pm and in wee hours.
Major tips
Avoid talking to strangers on the road
Don't drive through isolated areas
Call 100 if you suspect someone is following you