Increased footfall leading to crimes in CP?

WEDNESDAY’S CRIME, THIRD SUCH INCIDENT IN OR AROUND CONNAUGHT PLACE SINCE DECEMBER LAST YEAR, HAS SET ALARM BELLS RINGING

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, two men allegedly shot at a trader in broad daylight for resisting a snatching bid at A-block of Connaught Place.

The crime, the third such incident in or around Connaught Place since December last year, set alarm bells ringing with people questioning if Delhi’s favourite shopping destination was turning unsafe.

Madhur Verma, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) maintained that the cases witnessed around CP were isolated incidents and should not be seen as a trend.

“Before Wednesday’s incident, we had barely received two PCR calls from the area in the last 10-15 days. The Rivoli incident, where two youths tried to rob a man on February 25, was a failed attempt and the accused men were nabbed before they could get away. In fact, if you look at data, you will see that CP’S crime rate is at least ten times less than certain other areas,” said Verma.

However, vendors like Sumit Giri, a 32-year-old who sells cigarettes in CP’S Middle Circle, differs.

“My stall is next to some bars and wine shops. Men openly drink out on the road and I feel scared to ask them to move away. With the number of drunks and drug addicts around, you can’t predict how they may react. I say a little prayer everyday before leaving for work,” he said.

According to Atul Bhargava, the president of New Delhi Trad- ers Association, the increased footfall in the area was one of the reasons for increasing crimes. “There are very few police officers deployed in the area and many of them are assigned on VIP duty. The CCTV cameras don’t seem to be working in many areas. Footfall has increased in the market, especially on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” Bhargava said.

Nitish Anand, 19, said that he is a regular to the market. Last year, he claimed, somebody had allegedly tried to snatch his pair of sunglasses. “I still come here because CP still has an open space, where you can walk freely,” he said.