Muggers have CBD all for themselves as cops stay away

Lack of police patrol in the central business district (CBD) has caused a spurt in the incidents of mugging over the last few days, residents say. 

Gangs travelling on motorbikes, in auto-rickshaws and even cars are mugging members of the public at knifepoint. Despite repeated complaints, police are yet to make any arrests. 

Residents say seven cases have been reported in the CBD in the last few days and have asked the police to increase beat patrolling. 

The latest victim is a newspaper distributor named S T Thimmappa. He was driving an auto with bundles of newspapers when three men riding a Bajaj Pulsar waylaid him at 4.15 pm on Sunday. They blocked the auto and tried to snatch his mobile phone. When he tried to steer the auto away, they sat on his sides and cornered him, Thimmappa stated in a complaint to the Ashoknagar police station. 

The gang then threatened to kill him and brandished a sharp weapon. They stabbed him in the head. One of them forced his hand into a pocket of Thimmappa's trousers and took out Rs 2,000. As he started screaming for help, they rode off, said Thimmappa, who is taking treatment at a hospital. 

In the complaint, Timmappa mentioned another incident of mugging on the same street. Ashwin Kumar Sharma, a milk trader, was robbed of Rs 15,000, he said, urging the police to arrest the muggers. 

Police said they had information about drunk men mugging passersby and promised to track them down.