Hyderabad, April 13: City police officials are able to control communal offenders but containing chain snatchers is becoming a tough task for them. As the old city and other parts of the State capital, rocked by communal clashes recently, returned to normality prompting authorities to lift the curfew, chain snatchers are striking at will in the city. On Sunday night alone, chain snatchers struck at four places – twice at Mirchowk within three hours, Kachiguda and Sultan Bazar.
Proving a point
On Friday night too, the snatchers proved that they could strike at will and relieved three women of their chains at Amberpet, Nallakunta and Saidabad. There was no scope for snatchers to strike during the curfew period as no one was allowed to move on the roads. “Not just snatchings, no cases of thefts or burglaries were reported in curfew-clamped areas. Lifting of curfew again gave snatchers an opportunity,” an Inspector from South Zone said.
There is a clear pattern in the seven snatchings reported from Friday night. All the cases were reported in the night. In majority of the cases, women returning home after attending functions were targeted by the snatchers. As many marriages and receptions were held in the State capital, police believe the snatchers identified couples travelling on bikes.
“They wait outside function halls, follow the couples and strike when they reach dark places. Fortunately, no woman was injured,” an investigator said. The snatchers are taking advantage of the inability of the police to be present at all places all the time, the police top brass feels.
–Agencies