Bhubaneswar: Looting cars one after another in the capital city, the robbers have thrown an open challenge to the Commissionerate Police. Though multiple carjacking cases have been reported in the city recently, reports claim that police have failed to crack any such case.
The frequent car loot cases have raised suspicion among many denizens on involvement of inter-state dacoity gang. What's more concerning is that they suspect that robbers might be using the looted vehicles in illegal drug smuggling or to carry out other criminal activities. Even the police do not have any clue on how many criminals involved in theft cases were released in the recent past.
Late last night, a few miscreants attacked the driver of a car near his house in Phase-2 of Anant Vihar of Pokhariput and fled the scene with his car. Though the loot was captured in the CCTV camera, police are yet to get any vital leads.
“The miscreants attacked me from backside while hurling verbal abuses. When I did not give the car key, one of the them attacked my head with his gun while another bit my hand. After I was down senseless, they fled with the car,” said Makardhwaja Nayak, driver of the vehicle.
“Earlier we used to stay outside late in the night. But these days we are unable to muster enough courage to go outside. As so many cases have occurred in the recent past, police and administration should be proactive so that such cases do not recur,” said Siddharth Kar, a car owner.
Reportedly, a few days back a car was looted and later used for robbing Rs 35 lakh near Nakhara. However, police are still clueless about the vehicle.
Assuring proper investigation in loot cases, Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said police are taking all such cases seriously. “Proper investigation will be carried out in all the cases. Statistics show how we have been successful in handling such cases,” said Mohanty.
Meanwhile, former cops commented that the Commissionerate Police should change the patrolling system to put a check on carjacking incidents.
“Frisking of vehicles should be done at the vulnerable areas of the city. Besides, there should be a change in the patrolling strategy. Focus on traffic control is not enough,” opined SN Tiwari, former DGP.