ROURKELA: Reacting to a sudden spurt of criminal activities including loot, snatching, burglary and bike lifting in the Steel City, the Rourkela Police has swung into action and nabbed several criminals in the last two months. But a few gangs continue to elude the police, posing threat to life and property of local people.
Brahmani Tarang police here on Sunday forwarded four criminals to court following their arrest on Saturday when the latter were planning to loot a jewellery shop in Vedvyas. A motorcycle with two number plates, firearms, sword and an iron rod were seized from their possession. Similarly, in separate incidents, two members of a snatching gang were produced in the local court by Chhend police and another by Sector-7 police.
Sources said following the arrest of six members of an inter-State gang on March 26 by a special squad, the incidents of burglary have come down. However, two more members of the gang are yet to be nabbed. The gang members are believed to be illegal immigrants of Bangladesh and were involved in about 60 burglary cases.
During last eight months, around 60 bike lifting cases were reported from across the city while police seized 30 stolen bikes in the last 45 days. On April 9, four criminals were arrested with deadly weapons while conspiring for a dacoity by Bisra police. Seven stolen two-wheelers were also seized from their possession.
There has been a disturbing surge in snatching incidents in the city. In all the cases, women were victims by the bike-borne snatchers. Recently, a woman along with her husband sustained critical head injuries after they fell on the road when two miscreants tried to snatch her gold chain under Uditnagar police limits.
Rourkela SP Anirudh Singh said all police stations have been instructed strictly to curb criminal activities in their respective areas. Police have identified a gang comprising about five members involved in several criminal activities in the city while two to three smaller gangs involved in snatching cases are yet to be identified soon, he added.