Chandigarh: A routine visit to the market or even a walk in the park may turn into a traumatising experience for residents targeted by snatchers. Besides the obvious financial loss, victims are also forced to cope with the emotional toll of having their sense of safety and personal space violated.A total of 36 snatching cases have been reported in the city so far this year, compared with 100 cases last year. In the past 24 hours alone, four such incidents were reported, all within a five-kilometre radius. Police claimed to have solved the cases with the arrest of two men. The arrested accused, Mohit (18) and Ajay (24), are residents of Dadudmajra Colony.Three of the four incidents took place in the jurisdiction of Sector 39 police station. Scooter riders were involved in the cases, leading police to suspect the same group.One of the victims, Parmoo Singh, a resident of Rupnagar in Punjab, said he was on his way to ISBT-43 with his family when two miscreants riding a bike intercepted them near the bus stand road, snatched his wife’s purse and sped away. He said the purse contained a mobile phone, a pair of silver anklets, around Rs 1,500 in cash and important documents.Another complainant, Sandeep, a resident of Sector 25, Chandigarh, said he was returning home from Sector 37 market when two men on a bike intercepted him. He alleged that one of them brandished a knife. The accused snatched his mobile phone and fled towards the residential area of Sector 37.Rukmani, a resident of Nayagaon in Mohali, said two men on a scooter escaped after snatching her purse near the Sector 40/41 light point. She said the purse contained a mobile phone, Rs 450 in cash and other important documents.In Sector 38, complainant Madan Mohan said he was on his way to Sector 40 when two men on a scooter approached him from behind, snatched his mobile phone and fled. Madan Mohan raised an alarm, following which passersby gathered at the spot.Although police claimed to have arrested the accused, snatching cases remain an everyday threat for city residents. Increased police surveillanceAmid a rise in organised crime, gang wars and firing incidents, police have intensified their crackdown on criminal elements On March 19, SSP Kanwardeep Kaur directed all police stations to set up round-the-clock nakas in their respective jurisdictions As per the orders, the duty of police personnel deployed at checkpoints is being rotated every eight hours to ensure continuous vigilance All station house officers and police post in-charges were asked to remain deployed in the field daily from 3pm to 11pm Following these orders, all 16 police stations in the city set up over 60 nakas round the clock Worst-hit areasSouthern sectors 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 54 and 56 are considered highly vulnerable to snatching cases. Sectors near the borders with Mohali, which facilitate quick escape, are categorised as high-risk zones.Other vulnerable areas include Sector 31 and nearby localities such as Hallomajra, Ram Darbar and Sector 47.Easy targetsAnalysis of past snatching cases shows that women—particularly elderly and middle-aged women—are the most common targets of chain and purse snatchers. Offenders often prefer victims walking alone, especially during early morning or evening hours, as they are perceived to be less likely to resist or chase the accused.Senior citizens wearing gold jewellery are repeatedly identified as easy targets, as snatchers believe they can flee before help arrives. Women commuters, morning walkers and those travelling alone are commonly targeted in chain-snatching incidents, while mobile phone snatching often affects younger people and commuters.These patterns indicate that unescorted women and elderly citizens remain the primary focus of snatching gangs due to their perceived vulnerability and the likelihood of carrying valuables such as gold chains and handbags. Past figuresJan 2022 to March 2025: 440 2022: 138 2023: 151 2024: 131 MSID:: 130958168 413 |
