Robberies happening at regular intervals in different parts of Dehradun have exposed the lethargy of the police in patrolling the city areas as they are mandated to do. The people here are feeling insecure with the latest of the incidents having happened at the residence of a senior security officer located a few kilometres away from the Vidhan Sabha and one and half kilometre away from Harrawala police post when the Assembly session is on. Besides, Harawala where the daring robbery happened is in the Chief Minister’s Assembly constituency, Doiwala. Doiwala police station inspector OS Rawat said soon after the robbery that Cheetah Police comprising two police personnel being on its patrolling round in the area from 11 pm to 5 am, it was surprising how the robbers had escaped unnoticed.
The robbery seems to have thrown a dare to the police in view of the fact that soon after Trivendra Singh Rawat had assumed charge as the CM, Garhwal commissioner Vinod Sharma and Range DIG Pushpak Jyoti had asked the police to make this constituency a model one for the state while laying thrust on ensuring lighting, beautification and high- quality security. However, what is surprising is the fact that the directions of the police brass have not yet been acted upon on the ground despite close to three months having passed since.
Critics opine that to impress their bosses, the senior officers rolled out tall promises like improving infrastructure and lightening facilities aside from ensuring a fool-proof security in the high profile Doiwala constituency areas. “But they have failed to see to it whether things have been executed on the ground or not. If the people living within the CM’s constituency are that vulnerable one can imagine the state of things in other areas,” says an observer.
“Taking advantage of the police laxness in curbing crimes, the criminals are continuing with their crimes with impunity. It seems that they are confident to escape and remain untraced, given the sluggishness of the law -enforcing machinery,” said a senior citizen residing in Jogiwala.
Notably, on April 26/27 night, some robbers had forced their way into the house of a businessman Sumit Tandon located in posh Saket Colony in Dalanwala and robbed his house with the police still stumbling in the darkness about the identities of the criminals.