Involvement of gangs in the four robbery cases reported in rural areas of Vikasnagar, Doiwala and Patelnagar in Dehradun district have raised a question mark over security provided by police to the residents during festivals.
Statistics revealed that during festive season, gangs were active in sparsely populated areas and decamped with cash and jewelry worth lakhs of rupees from the homes after holding family members hostage.
Station police officers concerned did not rule out involvement of Kachchha Baniyan gang in these crimes while senior police officers are ruling out involvement
of such gangs. Taking cognisance of two robberies in Vikasnagar area during Diwali, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Kewal Khurana has transferred Vikasnagar police station inspector MS Dausani and posted inspector Rajiv Dandriyal there.
Since Friday, four robbery cases were reported in the rural parts of the district. According to police, victims informed that members of the Kachchha Baniyan gang were involved in these crimes as some of the robbers were wearing shorts and carrying bamboo sticks.
In Dhimawala area under Vikasnagar police station, a gang of three to four robbers entered the home of Punit Kumar on November 3 and looted Rs5,000 cash, educational certificates and jewelry amounting to lakhs of rupees.
The gang members had beaten the family members after holding them hostage.
Taking cognisance of this report, a case under section 394 of IPC was registered against unidentified persons in the Vikasnagar police station.
In another case, some unidentified persons broke the lock of the home of Harjindar Singh Pal, resident of Saket Vihar Colony under Vikasnagar police station on November 4 and decamped with cash amounting to lakhs of rupees and 18 tola gold jewellery.
A case under sections 457 and 380 of IPC was registered against unidentified persons in the Vikasnagar Police station.
In Patelnagar, a gang of seven robbers looted cash and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees from the home of Virendra Singh, resident of Dadowala under Patelnagar police station after holding the family members hostage on Diwali night. Singh received head injury when robbers hit him with bamboo sticks.
After holding Singh and other two family members captive in a bathroom, the robbers decamped with jewellery worth lakhs of rupees. In Doiwala, four to five persons entered the home of Ashok Thapa, resident of Barowala at around 3am on Friday and decamped with jewellery amounting to lakhs of rupees.
According to police station in-charge, following the direction of senior officers, police teams have been formed and deployed at various places including Saharanpur, Bijnor and other places to nab the culprits.