New Delhi, Oct 20 In September 2019, a woman journalist received serious injuries including multiple fractures in a snatching bid in South Delhi's CR park. The woman fell outside the auto she was travelling in and was hospitalised for days in the traumatic experience.
A year later, she is glad her phone has been recovered from the snatchers.
"My phone which made news last year after it was snatched from CR Park and following which I met with an accident is finally back to me after one year. My earnest thanks to all who stayed beside during my darkest hour," Jyotimala Bagchi said.
However, not everyone is lucky to get their snatched belongings back. A couple of years ago, a woman's bag was snatched at ITO which had a phone, a pen drive and some cash. The bag is still untraceable.
"The most valuable thing in my bag was my father's watch that I had been using. It was invaluable for me. I wish I could have got it back," said Priyanka, the snatching victim.
In Delhi as many as 4722 cases of snatching had been reported till August 31 this year while in 2019 the snatching cases reported during the same period were 4271.
In October this year, a 24-year-old civil defence volunteer was stabbed to death by two persons when he tried to resist a bid to snatch his mobile phone in central Delhi's Kamla Market. A few days later, four persons involved in the crime were caught by the Delhi Police.
On October 13, a snatching bid turned ugly in Delhi when 48-year-old government employee was injured while resisting a snatching attempt near Sarai Kale Khan. The woman fell on the road from the auto-rickshaw in a desperate attempt to save her bag from bike-borne assailants. The snatchers, who fled from the spot, couldn't manage to take her purse.
There are certain precautions that could be taken by the people themselves. Try not using your phones on the road until extremely necessary as this makes you vulnerable to snatchers and also prone to accidents.
Be extra-cautious when you are at long road stretches as bikers might find the spot suitable for snatching and fleeing. If you are walking on the left-hand side of the road, try using the phone on the left ear, making it difficult for the snatchers to snatch your device.
Zafar Abbas could be reached as zafar.a@.in )
( With inputs from IANS )
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