Chandigarh, August 20: Back-to-back incidents of chain snatching in Sector 38 within 24 hours have raised fresh safety concerns, adding to the more than 55 cases of snatching reported in the city since the beginning of the year. Police said the frequency of such crimes has gone up noticeably since July.
In the first case, Sarla Devi, 52, a resident of Sector 38-C, was attacked while returning home from a morning walk on Monday. “Two boys on a motorcycle intercepted me. One of them got down and snatched the chain from my neck while the other waited on the bike. They sped away before I could react,” she told police. Devi said the stolen chain weighed about 8–10 grams, along with a locket of around 4 grams. Although she could not note the registration number of the bike, she claimed she would be able to identify the culprits if confronted.
The following day, another woman, Kiran, 60, visiting from Delhi, was targeted in Sector 38-A. She was waiting for a bus near the Dainik Bhaskar office on Dakshin Marg when the snatchers struck and fled with her jewellery.
Based on the women’s complaints, police registered two FIRs under Sections 304(2) (snatching) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Sector 39 police station.
Police officials said they are reviewing CCTV footage from cameras installed in and around Sector 38 and Dakshin Marg to trace the movement of the suspects.
