The Tribune, November 24, 1999
Theft of vehicles lower police credibility
From Bijendra Ahlawat
ROHTAK, Nov 23 — Thefts of vehicles and robbery of cars on gunpoint are on the rise in the region. This has left the common man scared and is indicative of the lowering of the credibility of the police to check such a crime.
According to figure of such incidents in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts as many as 30 cases have been reported in the past two and a half months. Besides this there are many cases which are not reported or registered by the police. In Rohtak district alone 16 such incidents were reported in the past about two months. Of these nine vehicles were stolen and in other cases the vehicles were robbed on gun point. It is learnt that most of the vehicles robbed are used by criminals for other such crime.
According to police sources, there were several gangs involved in stealing and robbing the vehicles so as they could carry on their work smoothly and keep the police busy tracing similar incidents. Recently the police claimed to have arrested six persons of two gangs involved in looting vehicles at gun point or stealing the cars. The police had recovered two vehicles, including one car and one van and some arms used by them in their work. In the last month the police had arrested four youths in connection with such incidents and recovered three pistols. In another case one car was recovered by the Sector 1 police, which was stolen from a nearby village. A few days later the police arrested two youths and had seized a stolen Maruti car from them.
Stealing of vehicles from crowded areas in the town, including Mansarovar park which is located opposite the residence of the district police chief, has also become common. Several two-wheelers and cars have been reportedly stolen from the place.
Incidents of hiring and then robbing the car on gunpoint have also risen in the past several months. According to information, in a recent incident a youth, who had been running his car on hire basis, found himself in jail when some people hired his car and beat up another person and used his car in this operation. The victim who did note down the car number lodged a complaint with the police and was arrested along with the youths involved in this incidents.
In the latest such incident a Tata Sumo jeep was robbed allegedly in broad daylight near Bahuakbarpur village on the National Highway No. 10 just 13 km from here by four armed youths. The accused had intercepted the vehicles by an unnumbered car. In some of the incidents the robbers even shot at the drivers who opposed their attempt. In some other cases the car robbers have also relieved the driver or the occupants of the car of the cash or valuables with them. The police officials claim that patrolling and allround vigil has been stepped up and criminals involved in some such incidents have been arrested recently. They claim that unless the people cooperate with the police it was not possible to check properly.
|
