Robberies, chain snatching incidents on the rise in Bangalore

Bangalore: A city once considered safe is fast losing its sense of security. Reports of mugging, robbery and chain snatching are raising fears in minds, especially of night shift workers.

"Personally, I will not favour women venturing out alone after 9 pm," says T Madiyal, a former director general of police. How safe a city is for women and children is measured by its night behaviour. In this respect, Bangalore fares better but the crime rate has been increasing. While the total number of crimes committed in Bangalore City stood at 11,972 in 2007, it rose to 17,648 in 2009. The figure stood at 6,648 in the first five months of 2010.

"I used to stay in Dollars Colony and return home from work at night. I had to walk two furlongs from the cab's drop point to my room. For some months, things went smoothly. Then one night, I spotted a bunch of men who looked shady. They were staring at me and making comments. I hurried home. Next day, I spotted the same gang which had become bolder and was calling after me in obscene language," says Radha Iyer, a fashion designer. The next morning, she headed straight to the local police station and lodged a complaint. For a week, the gang disappeared. "I was congratulating myself for approaching the police when they again bobbed up. I did not want to play the mouse and soon vacated the area and moved into an apartment which I believe is much safer," says Iyer.

Bharath Joshi, a student of Jain University, was not so lucky. Joshi had the shock of his life when he walked into Nirmala public toilet in Yediyur. "It was slightly dark inside. Somehow I found the toilet door and locked it from inside. Soon, there were loud knocks on the door. When I opened it, I was shocked to see three well-built eunuchs staring at me. I banged the door on their face and sat inside cowering. After some time, all was quiet and I gathered courage and came out only to confront them. I knew that if I hesitated, I'd be attacked. So I ran out in full speed. It was just 8 pm, mind you," says Joshi.

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But there are bright spots too in the dark. Raj Kumar (name changed), a hotel management student, narrates his experience. "I work at a hotel along Indiranagar 100ft road. My work gets over late at night. Once, I was riding home around midnight. Soon, I noticed four men in two bikes chasing me. They closed in on me and one of them snatched the key off my bike. They beat me, robbed me off my purse and watch, threw my scooter key into the nearby bush and sped. Dazed with fear, I stayed for a while. To my luck, a Hoysala patrol soon spotted me and found the key for me."

People, especially women and elders, should avoid areas such as Viveknagar, Egipura, Basveshwarnagar, Srirampura and Kalasipalya after 10 pm as muggings are frequently reported from here. Since 40% of this global city's working population have night shifts, they are vulnerable to attacks. The growing influx of migrants from other states -- some of them criminals -- and the poor strength of the constabulary to monitor them make the city's night life scary."Bangalore isn't so safe. I would be worried to travel past midnight," says Anjana Iyer, a member of Full Circle, a trust dedicated to sustainable environmental practices.

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Leader of an autorickshaw union, Meenakshi Sundaram, attempts to analyse the crime trend. "Bangalore has two areas -- the Central Business Areas and the residential ones. Incidents of chain snatching and robbery are common in residential areas. The government is lagging behind in taking preventive measures. When jobs and minimum wages are denied, some people desperately turn to crime to survive," says Sundaram.

PC Jacob, a community leader, does not look worried like others. "Bangalore is, by and large, a safe city, though we hear ghastly incidents once a while," says he. Madiyal is concerned about the overworked police force. "Today, a policeman does not get rest, nor does he get a refresher course. He slogs on, and when the staff strength is far short of the requirement, policing becomes ineffective," says he.

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A city is as strong or as weak as its police force, he adds. According to him, the key to preventing crime and making the city safer lies in a strong beat policing and well-equipped police stations. He is not in favour of fancy short cuts such as Janata Police, citizen policing, social network etc. Early this year, residents of many areas had formed their own security system. One such system runs well in Babusapalya. Armed with torches and sticks, a nine-member band led by Rajesh Pillai begins patrolling the streets at 11pm. These corporate employees are part of a neighbourhood watch, formed to thwart growing crime in the city's suburbs.

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