People have started becoming very cautious to use services lanes in Dwarka. This has happened because of many snatching incidents which have been reported recently. Chain snatching, mobile snatching and even car snatching were noticed in the recent past.
On November 26, a car was snatched on gunpoint in front of the Beverly Park society in Sector 22. The incident has raised many questions about the safety of the residents in the vicinity.
These kinds of crimes keep on happening at these lanes since a long time.
President of Vishrantika Apartments, Sumant Chaturvedi said, “The service lanes are vulnerable because it is less crowded. Chain snatching, mobile snatching and purse snatching incidents have happened to the people who were walking. These crimes generally happen during morning and evening hours.”
People shared that the service lanes are vulnerable because of poor lighting. They also said that there is also less patrolling by police on these lanes. “The movement of vehicles are also less in these lanes,” they added.
Residents said that the chain snatching incidents mostly happened near the society’s gate while the women were either standing to buy vegetables or talking to someone.
Vishal Gupta, treasurer of Lovely Home Apartments said, “Most of the time, people don’t file an FIR. But, it is high time that people should do it and alert police about repeated incidents. These crimes can be controlled.”
RWAs and managements of the societies expressed that a proper vigil from the police and proper lighting in the service lanes could be more effective in checking such crimes. They said that patrolling is one of the effective measures to keep the service lanes safer.
President of Sri Hari Apartments, NC Mishra said, “An attempt of chain snatching was made against my wife just in front of my society a few months back. She somehow escaped but I realised that how unsafe these stretches have become.”
RWAs and managements of the societies had installed CCTV cameras in the service lanes on the suggestion of the police. Many societies are doing it to keep the space around the society under proper vigilance. In some of the cases, criminals were arrested too with the help of CCTV footages.
Now, the RWAs are planning to go for a scheme of Delhi Police under which training will be imparted to private security guards of the societies.
General Secretary of Federation of Cooperative Group Housing Societies, Sudha Sinha said, “We are going to promote the Prahari Scheme of Delhi Police so that the guards could be trained. As most incidents happen near society’s gate, the role of guards will be important. We are contacting the RWAs and the managements to make them aware about the importance of training.
“On December 1, a meeting would be organised in which a member from the RWA or management and a guard from each society would be invited to talk on the subject at Sector 23. We want to make the area safe and our federation is working in that direction,” she added.
ACP of Dwarka, Rajender Singh said, “Patrolling would be increased in the service lanes. Also, we are trying to bring societies under Prahari Scheme. It will be very beneficial.”
