Gaurav Kanthwal
Tribune News Service
Mohali, December 10
Incidents of theft, snatching and carjacking have become the order of the day in Mohali with no day passing without such incidents. A carjacking near the Mohali SSP’s office last month and yesterday’s theft of Rs 18 lakh from a car near the NRI police station in Phase 7 here have exposed poor policing in the district.
28 PCR vehicles for entire district
We have 28 PCR vehicles, 10 bikes and six scooters in the PCR wing. Different police stations, according to the population density, have different number of bike PCRs. — Inspector Tejinder Singh, PCR incharge
Of the five cases of carjacking reported in the district in the past one month, three remain unsolved. Around 40 cases of major and minor thefts and snatchings have been reported since July this year, sources said. Many a time, such incidents go unreported or an FIR is not registered due to one reason or the other.
5 carjackings in dist in past one month
3 cases remain unsolved
40 major or minor snatchings and thefts since July this year
Recent incidents
Nov 16 Four held for robbing jeweller of Rs 8 lakh, jewellery and car near Sarsini, Dera Bassi
Nov 20 Carjacking at Kharar, driver thrown out in Nakodar
Nov 23 Four youths in luxury vehicle carry out carjacking in Sector 88
Nov 23 Man robbed of car in
Phase 11 market
Dec 2 Four take away taxi in Dera Bassi, arrested within 24 hours
The police, however, claimed to have nabbed a notorious inter-state thief, Ravi Kumar, alias Vijay, alias Baba, who was involved in more than 100 theft cases in the tricity, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Ten cases have been registered against him in Mohali only.
Jewellers and local traders’ associations have repeatedly urged the police to improve law and order in the district in the past one year.
To make matters worse, there are only 28 PCR vehicles for the entire district. Twenty of these are deployed within the city limits. Additionally, there are 10 bike PCRs and six scooters deployed in Mohali city. “We have 28 PCR vehicles, 10 bikes and six scooters in the PCR wing. Different police stations, according to the population density, have different number of bike PCRs,” said Inspector Tejinder Singh, in charge of PCR.
There are around 100 personnel in the PCR wing to take care of the entire district. The police said non-functional vehicles, wear and tear and personnel on leave put pressure on the existing workforce. The officials said night patrolling had been stepped up and regular nakas were being set up in vulnerable areas of the city to maintain law and order. On December 8, Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg had issued the orders for the transfer of 12 police officials.
