Rise in snatching cases in Jamshedpur, police to revise patrolling strategy

Jamshedpur, April 5: Spurt in snatching and burglary cases in the city in the last few weeks has prompted senior police officials to change patrolling strategy after dusk on roads.

 A directive was recently issued by East Singhbhum police evening directing DSP level officials in city and police station officer-in-charges in urban areas to do patrolling at night using bikes and private vehicles in civil dress, concealing their identities, to catch the snatchers on prowl near commercial areas and important arteries.

 “It is part of our strategy to curb the growing incidents of chain and mobile snatching incidents in the city off late. Miscreants used to wait till the police (patrolling) van leaves the scene to do their acts on roads. It has come up in our survey that as soon as the patrolling van has moved away from a road snatching incident has happened. Now we are encouraging police to use bikes and personal vehicles (four-wheelers) for patrolling. This would be in addition to bike-borne (Tiger Mobile) jawans and PCR vans on the street,” said an official.

Incidentally, there are 18 urban police stations and 32 tiger mobile jawans and 29 PCR vans catering to urban areas.

Elaborating on the system, the senior police officer said that they wanted to develop a controlled policing in the city.

“Our idea is to ensure that the streets are crime free . We will focus on drug-trafficking and gambling which are the main causes behind incidents of snatching in the city,” he stated.

He said that the Tiger Mobile cops as well as the patrolling car will concentrate on the places where drugs and illicit liquor are consumed while at the same time will carry out surprise checks of the suspected criminals moving either on sports bikes or in tinted cars,” said the senior police officer. Apart from focusing on snatchers, the mobile cops will also pay special attention to the commercial banks.

Moreover, women cops will keep an eye on eve teasing at strategic places across the steel city. The teams will work in tandem with tiger mobile jawans and officers incharge of local police stations.

Police sources said 35 women constables will be on duty at strategic locations like Nicco Park, Jubilee Park, Tata Steel Zoological Park, Hudco Dam, Dimna Lake, Mody Park, Sakchi AamBagan Maidan and Sakchi turnaround. There will be four women constables in separate teams which have already started the job. Several cases like these have become common in the city. However the police look serious to curb the menace.