Dacoits hold IT city to ransom

Dacoits hold IT city to ransom
BY RAJIV KALKOD
BENGALURU







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I Police see rise in robbery, chain snatching cases in Bengaluru I The mushrooming of call centres and other BPO firms on the outskirts, with staff who work night shifts, has given robbers more opportunity to strike at places like Outer Ring Road.
There has been a sharp rise in the number of dacoity and robbery cases in Bengaluru. There were 41 cases of dacoity in 2007; 62 cases have already been registered till September this year. Similarly, there were 545 cases of robbery last year, while the number this year is already 499.

There has been a big increase in the number of chain snatching cases, too, with 173 cases reported till September. There were 210 cases of chain snatching in 2007.

The cops blame the spurt in these crimes on the emergence of new criminals and on offenders recently released from jail.

DCP (south-east) Soumendhu Mukherji says a majority of the offenders are 25 years old or younger. Many petty thieves have taken to dacoity and robbery after coming out of jail.

“In most cases, juveniles accused of robbery or other petty crime are handed over to remand homes. They make bail and return to their old ways,” Mr Mukherji says.

Also, the mushrooming of call centres and other BPO firms on the outskirts, with staff who work night shifts, has given robbers more opportunity to strike.

“They study the routines of the call centre employees and the time they commute on the Outer Ring Road and rob them on lonely stretches,” says Mr Mukherji.

However, the involvement of professional gangs in dacoity and robbery has come down drastically, the cops say.

“The gangs operating in the city are not very professional,” Mr Mukherji adds.

According to a senior police officer, these small time robbers turn to dacoits after forming gangs in prison.

“The central prison is like a university for offenders. They befriend other inmates in jail and take to crime in a big way once they are released,” he says.

Juveniles start with small offences but soon graduate to more serious crime. Most of them think that once they have criminal records, there is no alternative to a life of crime, the officer adds.

DCP (crime) Siddaramappa says he discussed the increase in dacoities and robberies with his colleagues and they will come out with a solution soon.