Beware! Muggers on the prowl in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Of late, the rise in mugging incidents in the city are giving sleepless nights to the police as well as people. In the last one month, nearly 10 such cases were reported in the city wherein three to four criminals have targeted single and lonely persons walking on streets during nights and made away with their money.

In a recent incident reported on Sunday night, a person, who was on his way to handover medicines that he purchased for his mother, was attacked by three men and his money was stolen.

The incident was reported from Suncity of Rajendranagar wherein the victim purchased medicines and boarded an auto-rickshaw at Mehdipatnam. En route to Rajendranagar, when two other men also boarded the auto, the auto driver took a different route. When the victim questioned the driver for the change of route, the duo who boarded the auto pointed a knife at the victim and threatened him to remain silent. After travelling for a distance, the auto driver stopped the vehicle at an isolated area and along with other two, he thrashed the victim, stole his money and mobile phone and fled from the scene.

Similar multiple incidents have also been reported from Banjara Hills, Chaderghat, Humayun Nagar and Asif Nagar police limits.

Md Tousif, a social activist and a resident of Rajendranagar, said, "The mugging crimes are on a rise on the stretch from Mehdipatnam to Golconda and Rajendranagar. Despite many complaints given to police to enhance patrolling, nothing has been done. Besides, they are suggesting to call on 100 whenever the crime takes place. I agree that the services of Dial 100 have been improved, but the police should enhance patrolling to curb such cases. It is always better to curb the crime before it happens rather than let it happen and act later." He further added that it had been observed that in many number of cases the police were washing off their hands if they were unable to get any CCTV footage. "Though the CCTVs have helped a lot to nab the culprits, but that has not prevented people from committing crimes. Only enhanced patrolling will curb such crimes," noted the activist.

A police official, who wished to remain anonymous said, "The growing number of mugging crimes is a matter of concern for the police department, and for this reason, we have been installing more number of CCTV cameras in the city. Further, in areas which are sensitive and prone to such crimes, we have enhanced night patrolling and also working on ways to curb such crimes."