Ruse and attack: With 8 snatchings in January alone, elderly victims live in fear in Panchkula - Hindustan Times
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Ruse and attack: With 8 snatchings in January alone, elderly victims live in fear in Panchkula

Hindustan Times, Panchkula | By, Panchkula
Feb 12, 2018 02:26 PM IST

Motorcyle-borne snatchers approach women for some help, often regarding directions, then pounce and scamper with valuables, leaving victim shocked and traumatised.

Sarla Devi, 64, a resident of Sector 16, was sitting outside her home on the morning of January 18 when two youngsters on bike stopped near her. One of them came down and asked for directions for a house in the neighbourhood. Before she could realise, he snatched her 20gm gold chain and escaped on the bike.  

Sarla Devi (right) and Nirmala Devi.
Sarla Devi (right) and Nirmala Devi.

Three weeks on and she is still in shock. It was a horrifying experience when a youngster, probably in his mid-20s, suddenly snatched her gold chain before pushing her. “I tried to chase them but they escaped. The police must arrest these miscreants for doing such things with innocent people,” she said.  

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Her son, Vipen Kumar, who is the main complainant, said they shared the CCTV footage of the crime but police have not made any arrest so far. “Police must step up their probe since it is not tolerable that snatchings take place outside our homes,” he said.  But the incident on January 18 is not the only one where snatchers used this trick.  

In the eight snatching incidents reported in the past one month, women were caught by surprise with sudden attack by snatchers outside their homes. 

Nirmala Devi Gupta, 64, was also attacked in a similar way outside her home in Sector 15 on January 12. She said the bikers came on a red colour Pulsar, before one of them approached her for a location and then suddenly snatched her gold chain.  She said she had no reason to raise suspicion as they were looking normal. But then one of them suddenly pounced on her and escaped on the bike.  

Her son Sandeep Gupta, who also shared CCTV footage of the snatchers, said the police must take strong action against these gangs operating in the city.   

In a similar case that took place three days ago on February 7, 55-year-old woman sustained injuries.  The victim, Krishna Devi, fell down from her chair and then sustained injury on head, after two miscreants on bike escaped with her gold chain from outside her home in Sector 25. The police have yet not got any lead in this case.   

Vimla Anand of Sector 11, is also a victim of similar crime on January 28.  She said she could not note the bike number but it was shocking and painful to face such a moment. As per police FIRs, the criminals have targeted women around afternoon and all of them said they were in their youth. In two cases, miscreants used Pulsar bike.

Be alert while using mobile   

In Panchkula, snatchers have begun targeting mobiles too. On January 25, Chandan, who lives in Abheypur, was walking back home and was on talking to a friend on his phone when a biker came from behind and ran away after snatching his mobile. A similar incident had happened with Shivam Singh, 23, who works in Industrial Area in Panchkula.  

Crime solving record not good   

Manbir Singh, DCP, said they were making all possible efforts to arrest the criminals. “We have CCTV footage from many of these incidents and those involved will be arrested soon,” he said. If past figures of crimes in Panchkula are considered, police performance in solving the snatching incidents is not good.  

In 2017, police registered 48 snatchings out of which only 10 were solved, revealed the police data. Though in 2016 it was 18 snatching cases and 16 were solved, claimed police.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Vivek Gupta is a senior correspondent at Chandigarh. He covers Panchkula, besides writing on medical education.

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