All security measures taken in the wake of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) summit in Noida and Greater Noida failed to deter the robbers and petty criminals in the city.
Three major incidents of broad day loot and one incident of theft were registered from the city in which a total of Rs37 lakh was looted.
One of these incidents took place near the SP (City) office in Noida. Around 3,500 additional security personnel were deployed in and around the district during the summit.
The law enforcement agency had earlier claimed that they will keep an eye on every nook and corner of the entire district so as to avert any untoward incident. Before the ADB summit, the district police had also taken several steps like mock drills, regular checking at all sensitive and key places, special drive against most wanted criminals, additional patrolling and drive against those elements that are suspected to be involved in petty crimes but all their exercises failed to stop criminals from conducting crime during the four-day summit.
A day before the summit, Rs5 lakh were stolen from a car from a crowded place at Sector 1. The spot is located near Noida-Delhi border and was under close vigil of city police ahead of the summit.
In another incident of robbery, Rs20 lakh were robbed by four robbers on the first day of ADB meet. The victim, Suresh Tyagi and his nephew had gone to the Dadri branch of Punjab National Bank to withdraw money and were returning when they were looted. The incident occurred between Surajpur and Pari Chowk that was the key route for ADB venue. They also opened fires in the air and threatened to kill the contractor if he approaches police.
A similar incident was reported on May 3 wherein four armed dacoits looted Rs10 lakh from employees of a garment export firm and escaped on their bike. The incident happened on the busy Udyog Marg near Sector 6 and in the vicinity of the office of Superintendent of Police (City).
In another incident, a businessman was robbed Rs2 lakh on gunpoint at crowded Harola market in Noida last week. The bike-borne criminals forcibly entered victim’s office and conducted the crime. They also snatched laptop and other valuable articles and assaulted the victim also.
Senior officials of district police said that they are reviewing the law and order situation after the event and will spare no effort to apprehend the accused persons. “We are examining all the cases properly so we could apprehend the suspects. We are also planning to start a separate drive to come down heavily of such criminals and their gangs in near future as their modus operandi indicates that they are habitual of organised crime,” said Brijesh Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Greater Noida.