According to the official figures with Delhi Police, there has been no increase in cases of snatching compared to the previous year, but some serious cases wherein the victims have been killed or badly injured have come into the limelight.
This year, until September 15, 4,516 cases of snatching were reported, but this non-heinous crime has taken a tragic turn in some cases, including that of a journalist who fell from an autorickshaw and was badly injured, and of a 27-year-old man who was stabbed to death by three assailants who were trying to take away his bag.
Former Delhi commissioner of police Neeraj Kumar said that even though the figures don’t show any rise in cases of snatching, recent incidents have created a negative perception about the safety situation in the capital.
“The perception that people have about the dire situation in the city with regards to snatching needs to be addressed. For that, there is a laid-out strategy that the police follows. Several steps are usually taken. Those steps should be taken and this perception should be changed,” he said. “There is a feeling that streets are not safe. Women walking alone and travelling alone have a fear that their chain or bag will be snatched,” he added.
At least three journalists were targeted by snatchers in south Delhi in the last week of September.
A victim of snatching, who did not want to be named, was targeted in a relatively well-off area on the eve of her birthday.
“I was in an autorickshaw, travelling from Nehru Place to Kailash Colony. The bike was perhaps following us. After we reached the metro station, the bikers came near the vehicle and the one sitting behind very smoothly took away my bag. Initially, the police lodged a case of theft. A police constable asked me what I was doing outside so late in the night. It is shocking that such an incident took place in a locality like Kailash Colony,” she told this newspaper.
Neeraj Kumar said that gangs usually targeted a certain area and the busting of one gang solved numerous cases.
“The more gangs you bust, the stronger your surveillance is, the better your information systems are, there will be more control on street crimes,” he said, adding that CCTV cameras were “very, very, very effective”.
“It has been proven worldwide that CCTV is the best weapon against crime. Even a case like Nirbhaya was worked out because of the CCTV that caught the bus taking the same route twice.
The cameras should be installed with a plan in mind. If the Delhi government doesn’t involve the police and other agencies, it will not serve the purpose. You install the camera to suit your constituency for the sake of votes, that won’t help,” he stressed.
According to Kalpana Viswanath, co-founder of Safetipin, an organisation committed to making cities safer for women, infrastructure and policing are two principal elements in curbing this crime.
“The principal steps are to make streets more active, to make them well-lit, to make sure that in crowded areas and during certain hours in the evening, there is more active policing. We need city planning… improving walkability, improving lighting. Footpaths are very important. We should have a proper pavement dedicated for walking,” she said.
The Delhi government and police have taken a lot of steps in this regard in the last few years, she said.
“When there is a more visible case, people think it is happening more. Put a perspective on things. Two things can make a difference – policing and infrastructure. If the culprits are caught, people get a sense of confidence that it is being taken seriously. Street lighting in many parts of the city has improved,” Viswanath said.