BENGALURU: Police personnel addressing guests at a wedding reception about a law and order issue may seem out of place. But in a bid to curb the menace of chain-snatching, Bengaluru police have decided to deploy uniformed constables at weddings, and educate the gathering on the issue through a public address system while also looking for members of notorious gangs who visit wedding halls as employees or guests to snatch gold chains.
“This move is just being done as a preventive measure as there has been an increase in gold getting lost from wedding halls, chain snatching happening outside the wedding halls, and some even inside the venue. Many of them don’t get reported immediately as people believe that it might upset the wedding,” said DCP South K Annamalai.
The officers have decided to call a meeting of all marriage hall owners in the area, and inform them about the measures needed to be taken by them to check such incidents. The police have also asked marriage hall owners not to allow parking outside the hall, and alert the police station if any VIP is expected to attend the function.
“It is now mandatory for the hall owners to install CCTVs, as robbers mostly enter the venue and target the bag which contains the bride’s jewellery,” a senior officer said.