CUTTACK: Despite heightened police patrolling to check violation of Covid-19 guidelines and criminal activities, cases of loot and snatching have gone up in the Millennium city during lockdown.
As per reports, as many as 61 instances of loot including 30 theft, 23 burglaries and eight snatching cases were registered with police station across the city in June, the second month of the ongoing lockdown against 48 cases during the corresponding month in 2019.
The highest seven cases of loot were registered at Purighat police station followed by six each in Jagatpur and Chauliaganj, five in Kandarpur, four each in Badambadi, CDA Phase-II, Choudwar, Mangalabag and Sadar and one in Dargha Bazaar.
Of the seven snatching cases, two were committed in broad daylight by drug addicts. “The primary reason behind the increase in number of loot cases during the lockdown is rise in unemployment and drug addiction,” said a senior police officer. Thieves, burglars and snatchers released from prison in the wake of the pandemic, have been perpetrating crimes in the city. “We are keeping a close watch on them,” he said.