Shaken by spate of dacoities, cops recharge batteries

The city and its rural outskirts have witnessed a spate of dacoities since April 17. While murdering a middle aged woman on the spot, the dacoits left 20 persons grievously injured.

These dacoities were reported from Mahadeonagar area of Hadapsar, Valhekarwadi in Chinchwadgaon, Indapur and Yevat. All the injured are still undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

Immediately after the first incident took place, both the city and rural police had beefed up safety arrangements in their respective jurisdictions.

However, since the spate has continued unabated, they are now considering to launch a joint drive to track down the culprits, top police officials said.Certain changes have also been noticed the pattern of dacoities. In most of the cases registered over the last many years, dacoities had taken place after midnight.

However, in the recent series of incidents, the crimes were committed much earlier, sometime between 10 am and 2.30 pm, pointed out Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ramrao Pawar.

While referring to the murder and the large number of injured, he pointed out that the dacoits were much more aggressive and used excess force in comparison with the prior incidents.

Raj Khilnani, the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Kolhapur range which covers the rural areas of Pune district under its jurisdiction pointed out that most of the dacoities had taken place in hamlets, located at isolated places.

“Though the security at various villages has already been beefed up, perennial shortage of manpower we are facing does not allow us to post policemen at such hamlets,” he stated.

The police have been checking vehicles plying on various highways to track down the culprits. However, the dacoits, apparently the members of nomad tribes, have resorted to use weapons like sticks which are easily available. This makes it difficult for the policemen to identify the criminals from other commuters despite a through search, he added.

Both Khilnani and Pawar underlines the need of people’s participation in policing for curbing such types of crimes. Crimes like dacoities can be curbed only if the people step ahead and form their own squads to patrol in villages along with the policemen. Both the city and rural police have already undertaken the work of forming such patrolling parties of villagers, they said.

Besides intensifying the patrolling and vigil in infested areas, the police have reactivated the checkposts on various highways with the help of the state traffic police. Searches are also being carried out at various slums and camps of the nomads to track down the culprits, the police officials said.