The Hindu : Vellore dacoity adds to clueless police worry

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Vellore dacoity adds to clueless police worry

By K.T. Sangameswaran

Jewel shops in Main Bazaar, Vellore, remaining closed on Saturday, to protest Friday's dacoity and killings. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

CHENNAI APRIL 19. Last night's incident at Vellore, where desperadoes shot dead three persons after looting a jewellery showroom, came at a time when the police were still hunting for clues to two major dacoities, which occurred at Sriperumbudur and Salem last year.

What is causing more concern to the police in yesterday's crime is the use of firearms by the fleeing culprits.

Notwithstanding their claims of continued ``serious investigation'', including ``intensification of vigil'' at checkposts, after similar incidents in September-October last, the police have not achieved any breakthrough.

The separate ``anti-dacoity cell'' in the police seems to be a misnomer. For, enquiries reveal that the special wing is busy handling some of the cases involving fundamentalists, in addition to what a separate Special Investigation Team, formed for the purpose, does. All recent dacoity cases are being probed only by the jurisdictional police, though, police sources say, incidents occurred in Andhra Pradesh too almost during the same period last year when Tamil Nadu witnessed the grave crime.

The separate cell, started in May 1995, under the control of the Additional Director-General of Police (Crime), collects information on dacoity from various units, but conducts investigation only into those cases referred to by the Madras High Court, the Government and the DGP. Like a few other wings, the cell is considered a place for dumping officials, the sources say.

Meanwhile, it appears dacoit gangs are cocking a snook at the police, particularly outside the State capital. For instance, last year, a gang struck at a house at D.K.Nagar at Sriperumbudur and took away 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery, but not before inflicting head injuries on five members of the family. More gruesome was the killing of the Salem Congress president, Thalamuthu Natarajan, and his security. The house of a bank officer, at Venkatamangalam, Kelambakkam here, was targeted by criminals, who decamped with 8.5 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs.12,000 in cash after attacking two family members.

At Veerapandi Nagar, also in Kancheepuram district, a gang forcibly entered into a house, tied up two persons, and fled with 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs.1,500 in cash. The police do not have any clue yet to the identity of the gangsters, the State they belong to or the number of constituents.

Even as per official records, there was a ``marginal increase'' in the number of property crimes reported last year — 25,049 up from — 23,478 the previous year. The State witnessed 20 more incidents of dacoity — 178 last year and 158 the previous year. The police draw solace from the decline last year in grave crimes such as murder for gain, robbery and burglary.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Heist, killings leave Vellore in panic

Koothirambakkam violence was `pre-planned'

Vellore dacoity adds to clueless police worry

Industries, workforce bear the brunt of strike

`New textbooks only after considering all suggestions'

Remand extended in jailor murder case

Additional 4,000 MW n-power in 5 years: AERB chief

Prasad won't comment on Gopal detention

Typhoid attack at Ramarajapuram: one dies

NDA allies in a fix, says Chidambaram

Insurance cover for journalists

Arrests a diversionary tactic, says Karunanidhi