Daylight Robberies Spark Fear in Bhubaneswar; Police Step Up Crackdown
Bhubaneswar: A series of bold daylight robberies and attacks has triggered panic among residents of the state capital, with criminals striking openly in different parts of the city and raising serious concerns over public safety.
Recent incidents include assaults on senior citizens, chain snatching, and looting of gold shops. In the Bhagabanpur area, an elderly man was allegedly attacked with a knife. In Kalinga Vihar, miscreants looted a jewellery shop, while in Chandrashekharpur, a senior citizen was targeted in a gold chain snatching incident.
Following the rise in such incidents, city police have intensified operations to trace and arrest those involved. Officials attribute the spike in crime to multiple factors, including inadequate monitoring through the Crime and Criminal Tracking System (CCTNS), weak surveillance both inside and outside jails, and instances of youth and minors collaborating with hardened criminals.
Sources indicate that enforcement measures such as night patrolling and vehicle checkpoints have been limited, while “drunk and drive” checks are not being conducted consistently. Proactive monitoring of street crimes has also been found lacking.
In response, authorities have begun preparing lists of known criminals under each police station’s jurisdiction and are initiating action against habitual offenders under Section 129 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act to prevent further incidents.
Police have urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity, assuring that intensified efforts are underway to restore a sense of security across the city.
