HIGH COURT ASKS DELHI GOVT TO MAKE ANTI SNATCHING LAW MORE STRINGENT

As is Delhi increasingly in the grip of life taking pollution, similarly is it the victim of massive chain snatching crimes and subsequent assaults, particularly the women being the worst sufferers. In almost every street, nook and corner, parks, market place, cinema houses, residential colonies or in busy areas these dreaded criminals, majority of them being the delinquents below eighteen years have created havoc and the law enforcing agency, the police, already short of staff is extremely complacent to deal with these termites who’d made the lives of Delhi’s women a hell.

Moving around with gold wearings and handy mobiles has become a risky affair with women and college going girls, the most affected. What is more worrisome is that these professional gangs now also operate from expensive and ostentatious marriage ceremonies where they mix themselves wearing facinating attire and clandinely rob the expensive jewellery and cash. Today, out of the fear and risk to one’s life, especially inaction from the side of the police authorities the women have given up wearing gold chains or ornaments n keeping their expensive mobiles intact in purse than hanging around.

Even the family members of the higher ups have been the victims of these snatchers but fortunately they get their stolen ornaments or properties back in record time, thanks to their status and influence. If we go by the Delhi Police records there had been a whopping six fold increase in cases of snatchings compared to previous years and the resolution rate is surprisingly less than 30%.

But now there seems to be a little ray of hope for DELHITES as the Delhi High Court has issued directives to the state government to make the law on chain snatching stricter by amending the panel provisions terming the chain snatching as a very serious matter. It sought a detailed report from the Delhi govt as well and simultaneously issued notices to DP, civic body MCD and the state govt seeking replies.

An enlightened Delhi advocate Prashant Manchanda after feeling concerned have filed a writ petition in the DHC saying that the myriad increase in chain snatching incidents in the capital have made the people, especially the foreign tourists completely insecure.

SUNIL NEGI