With snatchers having a free run in the city and striking 10 times in six days, the UT police have been groping in the dark to look for clues. The spate of snatchings, most of which occurred in broad daylight and were caught on CCTV cameras, has left residents, especially women, in a state of fear.
Maintaining that it is the job of the police to ensure that residents feel safe and walk freely without any fear in the city, UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill says the investigations so far have hinted at the involvement of at least two gangs in the recent snatchings. “We need to pull up our socks. We are going all out to track the snatchers,” said the SSP in an interview. Here are the excerpts:
Q: What steps have been taken by the UT police to curb snatching incidents?
A: Apart from the police stations, various other wings, including the crime branch and the CID, have been pressed into service to gather intelligence so that the culprits can be tracked at the earliest. The location of the Cheetah motorcycle staff has also been shifted to the areas from where snatching incidents have been reported in the recent past. Those who were earlier involved in snatching incidents and were recently released from jail are also being tracked.
Q: Despite the presence of the PCR staff on city roads and nakas, the UT police have failed to act as a deterrent. What do you think is the reason?
A: I won’t say it’s our laxity due to which snatching incidents are taking place, but I do feel we need to put in more efforts to ensure that city residents wearing jewellery feel safe and walk freely across the city without any fear of losing it to snatchers.
Q: Any headway in the snatching incidents reported from the city in the past few days?
A: The investigations have revealed that two gangs of snatchers are active in southern and northern sectors. While one has been striking on a black Activa, the other has been using a black motorcycle in the crime.
Q: Have CCTV cameras in the city been of any help?
A: CCTV cameras installed by city residents have proved to be a great help. The CCTV footage of various incidents has helped us establish the two-wheelers used by the snatchers and in some cases, their faces are also visible.
Q: Which are the vulnerable areas for snatching?
A: Southern sectors are more vulnerable.
