Taking cognisance of rise in robbery incidents especially in suburban areas of Dehradun and Haridwar districts in last few days, State Inspector General of Police (law and Order) Ram Singh Meena directed district police heads to take steps for apprehending gang members involved in these incidents within a week.
The police officers were also directed to strengthen security ensuring such incidents are not repeated in their respective jurisdiction. Prima facie, the involvement of Kachchha Baniyan gang in recently robbery cases in Haridwar and Dehradun cannot be ruled out, he added. Meena said that police officers should intensify patrolling during night at outskirts of their respective district and those policemen found negligent on duty should be suspended. He expressed disappointment at increasing robberies in suburban areas of Dehradun and Haridwar districts.
Five robberies were reported from Dhimawala and Saket Vihar Colony under Vikasnagar police station; Dadowala under Patelnagar police station, Barowala under Doiwala police station and Matlabpur in Roorkee. As per reports from the district concerned, the robberies were committed in a similar manner. Around four robbers entered home and decamped with cash and jewelry.
Some of the robbers were wearing shorts and carrying bamboo sticks. Kachchha Baniyan gangs are active during winter season in outskirts of plain districts. The gang members carrying bamboo sticks or other arms usually target locked homes or those located on the outskirts. The gang members decamp with cash and jewellery after confining the family members to a room. By keeping police force on alert in outskirts, such robberies can be prevented.
To work out these incidents, he has directed the police officers to form police teams and deploy these to apprehend the culprits. The police officers were directed to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in their respective districts, he added. Dehradun and Haridwar police have formed teams deployed at various places in adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh but police are yet to make any kind of headway in these cases so far.
Observers opined that with the involvement Kachchha Baniyan gang in repeated robbery incidents in Dehradun and other parts of the state, senior citizens living alone have begun to feel insecure. Police will have to work out these cases soon to instill confidence among the public.