Chain-snatching surge in city; women targeted, police yet to crack cases

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Chain-snatching incidents are rising, with women increasingly targeted and police yet to crack a single case. Within 12 hours, two women were robbed on March 24 evening in Ulkanagari and on March 25 at 6 am, a woman returning from a morning walk.

Nearly 90 cases were reported last year, while over 10 incidents have already occurred in the first three months this year, with no effective crackdown by local police or the crime branch.

In the first case, Alka Vasantrao Mali of Malkhare Park was targeted near a Bank of Maharashtra rural branch, where bike-borne snatchers fled with her gold chain worth Rs 50,000. In the second, Gangubai of J Sector, Mukundwadi, was robbed of her 19-gram gold mangalsutra near the N-2 cricket ground by two bike-borne assailants. Cases have been registered at Jawaharnagar and Mukundwadi police stations.

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Probe stagnates despite leads

In another Mukundwadi incident, an alert car driver foiled a snatching attempt, forcing the accused to abandon their motorcycle, later found to be stolen from Jalna. Despite this lead, no progress has been made. Frequent incidents across Jawaharnagar, Mukundwadi, Satara and Osmanpura, with zero detection so far, have raised serious concerns over policing and public safety.