Noida police look the other way as vehicles are stolen from doorstep
15 Jan 2014 12:04 AM GMT
In the last six months, the residents of Sector 20 in Noida have lost around 13 cars and bikes to thieves and shockingly, the police have yet not succeeded in recovering even a single one of them.
Residents of the area allege that the police have failed drastically in infusing a feeling of security and confidence among them.
While the city police make tall claims of providing round-the-clock vigilance to the sector, nearly 13 persons have registered complaints of their cars and bikes being stolen from B-Block and G-Block. Ironically, the wall bordering both the blocks is right behind Sector 20 police station.
Atar Singh, an employee with a news channel in Noida says that on 23 December, he had parked his Hyundai Eon car in G-block at night, but next morning when he reached the spot, he found his car missing. He immediately reached the police station to register a complaint but he was asked to make a PCR call first to get a complaint number.
‘I was baffled with the behaviour of the police officers at the Sector 20 station. My car was stolen from behind the station, a place which I expect to be safer because of police presence, but instead of helping me out, they asked me to get in touch with a PCR for getting a complaint number,’ says Singh.
‘I was even questioned over buying a car when there is no parking facility available in the sector. I suspect a nexus between police personnel and criminals and I do not have expectations of any help from the administration,’ he adds.
Anita Singh, a housewife had parked her Hundai i10 car just behind the wall of the police station on 6 January. When her husband reached the place next morning to leave for work, he was shocked to find out that it had been stolen. Within two days, Ajay Verma’s car too was stolen from the same spot. On 9 January, another resident named Neeraj Sharma found that thieves had stolen the tyres of his one-year-old car. All victims have registered complaints, but so far they have been told that police are searching for the stolen vehicles.
‘We have registered an FIR but so far police have not taken any action. It is completely inactive when such complaints are lodged. There is no PCR patrolling at night, no security guards at the main gates. Anyone can enter and exit the sector without permission at any point of time,’ said an angry Sharma.
The residents also suspect that it could be the work of tenants living in the area. ‘A large number of bachelors are living in the sector on rent but most of them have been kept without police verification. They do not have fear of the police or neighbours as no one checks about their whereabouts,’ Anita says.
When Millennium Post asked Sunil Kumar, SI at Sector-20 police station, the reason for police’s inability in dealing with the situation, he tried to downplay the crime while accepting that tenants are living without police verification. ‘The bungalows in the sector were meant for the officers in the government and authority but the owners have given them on rent. They never verify the details of the tenants with us despite repeated warnings,’ Kumar says.
He also refuted the claims of the residents saying, ‘We maintain a day and night vigil in the sector. The PCR vans always patrol the area, but because there is no proper parking facility in the area, we fail to judge who is locking and unlocking a car.’
However, despite his claims, it is evident that the police have failed to arrest thieves or bust any gang involved in the crime.
Dr. Pritinder Singh, SSP, Gautam Budh Nagar assured that he will look into the matter and see if police are being lax in discharging their duty. ‘I will ensure swift investigation in all the cases and also ensure that soon such gangs involved in car theft are busted.’
Residents of the area allege that the police have failed drastically in infusing a feeling of security and confidence among them.
While the city police make tall claims of providing round-the-clock vigilance to the sector, nearly 13 persons have registered complaints of their cars and bikes being stolen from B-Block and G-Block. Ironically, the wall bordering both the blocks is right behind Sector 20 police station.
Atar Singh, an employee with a news channel in Noida says that on 23 December, he had parked his Hyundai Eon car in G-block at night, but next morning when he reached the spot, he found his car missing. He immediately reached the police station to register a complaint but he was asked to make a PCR call first to get a complaint number.
‘I was baffled with the behaviour of the police officers at the Sector 20 station. My car was stolen from behind the station, a place which I expect to be safer because of police presence, but instead of helping me out, they asked me to get in touch with a PCR for getting a complaint number,’ says Singh.
‘I was even questioned over buying a car when there is no parking facility available in the sector. I suspect a nexus between police personnel and criminals and I do not have expectations of any help from the administration,’ he adds.
Anita Singh, a housewife had parked her Hundai i10 car just behind the wall of the police station on 6 January. When her husband reached the place next morning to leave for work, he was shocked to find out that it had been stolen. Within two days, Ajay Verma’s car too was stolen from the same spot. On 9 January, another resident named Neeraj Sharma found that thieves had stolen the tyres of his one-year-old car. All victims have registered complaints, but so far they have been told that police are searching for the stolen vehicles.
‘We have registered an FIR but so far police have not taken any action. It is completely inactive when such complaints are lodged. There is no PCR patrolling at night, no security guards at the main gates. Anyone can enter and exit the sector without permission at any point of time,’ said an angry Sharma.
The residents also suspect that it could be the work of tenants living in the area. ‘A large number of bachelors are living in the sector on rent but most of them have been kept without police verification. They do not have fear of the police or neighbours as no one checks about their whereabouts,’ Anita says.
When Millennium Post asked Sunil Kumar, SI at Sector-20 police station, the reason for police’s inability in dealing with the situation, he tried to downplay the crime while accepting that tenants are living without police verification. ‘The bungalows in the sector were meant for the officers in the government and authority but the owners have given them on rent. They never verify the details of the tenants with us despite repeated warnings,’ Kumar says.
He also refuted the claims of the residents saying, ‘We maintain a day and night vigil in the sector. The PCR vans always patrol the area, but because there is no proper parking facility in the area, we fail to judge who is locking and unlocking a car.’
However, despite his claims, it is evident that the police have failed to arrest thieves or bust any gang involved in the crime.
Dr. Pritinder Singh, SSP, Gautam Budh Nagar assured that he will look into the matter and see if police are being lax in discharging their duty. ‘I will ensure swift investigation in all the cases and also ensure that soon such gangs involved in car theft are busted.’
Next Story
