Thieves on the prowl, residents cry foul

As Bengaluru transformed from a manageable city to a metropolis of 1.2 crore, the city has seen a corresponding rise in crimes, more apparent in the new, outlying areas. Here are some citizens voicing their concerns about this unwarranted trend, suggesting a few solutions. 

Preferring anonymity, a businessman from Byadarahalli seeks more patrolling to instil a sense of security among residents of his locality. “I have seen rowdies hanging around street corners in the evenings. There are police in the area, but I feel it would be better to have CCTV cameras installed as well,” he elaborates.

Kiran Aithal, who lives at Nobo Nagar in Kalena Agahara on the city’s outskirts has this to say: “I have seen police patrol the area in the late evening hours, around 7 or 8 pm. But I do not think they patrol late in the night. Otherwise, incidents of theft will not be rising here.”

Radha Prathi, a resident of Mathikere, has a different take on patrolling. She says the police do go on rounds, asking residents to be on alert. This goes on for a few days after such incidents. Residents too are wary. But once normalcy returns and patrolling slackens, the burglars strike again.

More than thefts, what really scares residents are the heinous crimes. Three weeks ago, an IT employee was raped at knife-point right inside her paying guest accommodation near Parappana Agrahara on the city’s outskirts. She was alone in the room when the assailant barged in.

Ten days ago, the Kengeri police arrested six persons from a desolate area when the gang was conspiring to commit dacoity. Interrogations revealed that the suspects had murdered a man six years ago in Sandur in Ballari district. They were also involved in more than 50 other cases across the State.

These recurring incidents have made residents even more insecure. They feel the frequent thefts could easily morph into more dangerous crimes. A Kodichikkanahalli resident, M N Kulkarni recalls how thieves had struck three houses in his area over the last few months.

Besides the usual loot, the culprits have also begun to take away gas cylinders. Kulkarni points out that the culprits had once fled with 16 cylinders. Complaints were lodged, but the police never caught the thieves. 

Many residents now feel police-public partnerships such as the Community Policing campaign could work better in ensuring law and order. Tilaknagar police sub-inspector Tanvir notes that the crime rate in his jurisdictional area has actually come down after the campaign struck a chord with the public. Across the city, around 1,000 volunteers are now part of the campaign.

Here’s one instance where the partnership worked well: Two months ago, a resident, Zameer, grew suspicious of a man who was parking a scooter without number plate near his residence on Bannerghatta road. When Zameer questioned him, the man sped away from the spot. Immediately, Zameer alerted the police, who in turn urged a volunteer to chase the scooter. The suspect was nabbed. Upon interrogation, it was learnt that the scooter was stolen.