Despite special drives, snatching incidents continue unabated in Capital

Snatching incidents have become an everyday menace for the Delhi Police, which has failed to curb it despite a number of dedicated special initiatives against the street crime. DNA had recently reported it was unlikely that your valuables will last with you for more than five minutes if you go out, as, at an average, every five minutes, a Delhiite is either snatched of his/her belongings or it is stolen.

On Saturday evening, a 24-year-old engineering student was killed when he came under the attack of a snatching gang of four men, who were armed with sharp knives. Statistics say that till November 30 last year, 7,870 snatchings were reported, 24 a day on average. Apart from these, 1,02,954 thefts were also registered, which has a daily average of 308, more than 10 thefts an hour. Put together, 13 incidents of snatching and thefts take place in the Capital every hour.

However, the engineering student is not the only victim of the menace. In December last year, a woman narrowly escaped death when she fell off a moving auto-rickshaw while resisting two bike-borne snatchers in east Delhi. Not just this, but in August, a 50-year-old woman was grievously wounded when she fell off a moving auto while trying to save her purse from motorcycle-borne snatchers in north Delhi. The victim remained unconscious for about 24 hours at the Sushruta Trauma Centre before regaining consciousness, after which she was unable to recognise her family, her daughter had then told the police.

However, it is not just the civilians who have suffered because of the growing menace. In December 2017, first Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, Eenam Gambhir, was attacked by two bike-borne men, who fled with her mobile phone in Rohini. Police are yet to identify the accused and make arrests. The phone had a US-registered SIM card and some important files related to her work, the diplomat had informed the police.

In September last year, Ukraine's ambassador to Delhi, Dr Igor Polikha's phone was snatched while he was clicking pictures near the Red Fort.

HOW SNATCHERS TARGET PEOPLE

• Usually in a team of two to be able to flee on a two-wheeler
   
• They modify their bikes by removing its fuel supply regulator to flee at high speed
   
• Use stolen bikes to remain untraceable
   
• While one waits on the bike with ignition on, the pillion rider commits snatching
   
• Target elderly women and women unable to chase or raise alarm instantly
   
• Melt ornaments and sell off valuables instantly to avoid any recovery from them
   
• Cover face or perform at dark stretches to keep identity hidden