In less than two months, six shopkeepers and traders have been shot at and attacked in different areas of the city.On Saturday night, two bike-borne criminals snatched away a bag from a youth after opening fire near the Baradwari Supervisors' Flat under Sitaramdera police station .
The victim, Saurabh Gadiwal, was returning to his employer's house at Baradwari after collecting money from Sakchi market as the bike-borne criminals attacked him. Gadiwal worked in the firm of Manoj Agrawal, a dry-fruit trader and was returning to Agrawal with cash and samples of dry-fruit as he fell victim to the criminals. Gadiwal had Rs 22,000 and samples of dry-fruits in the bag.
The business community has expressed anguish over the attacks on the businessmen as only on September 2, three criminals looted Rs 45,000 at gun point on Tata-Patamda road near NH-33 under MGM police station area. Similarly, the motorcycle-borne criminals looted Rs 1 lakh from a businessman, Pramod Shah near Sunsunia gate under Burmamines police station area on August 18.
Earlier on May 10, a businessman Pradeep Agrawal was robbed of Rs 4 lakh at gun-pon in Sakchi Garamnallah area.The rising cases of crime in the city have forced the business community to raise voice against the detracting law and order situation for additional security arrangements.
"It is surprising several cases of murder and attempt to murder incidents have taken place recently and that too in the broad daylight but in none of the case the police has reached the miscreants involved in the cases," said Dilip Naredi, a city-based businessman.
He said that though the police have tried to beef up the security arrangements in the city carried out arms checking drive at strategic locations but nothing substantial has come out of his initiatives. Additional police force need to deploy in areas like Mango, Jugsalai, Pursudih which are prone to such activities.
Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries' (SCCI) vice-president Suresh Sonthalia said: "Cases of crime have increased in the city. Our city has the reputation of being the safe but in few days crime graph has witnessed a sudden rise. It is high time that police identifies such criminals and action is taken against them.
He said that it is the duty of every police station to keep a vigil look on crime cases in their areas and take action against the culprits.He said they would soon meet the senior SP, Richard lakra and express their concern on the falling law and order situation in the city.
Meanwhile, lakra, when asked, admitted that there have been a number of incidents of loot and snatching in the recent past. " We are taking steps to ensure safety of every individual," noted SSP.