3 cops suspended, SHO gets notice for ‘delay’
NEW DELHI: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and two constables of the CR Park police station have been suspended and a showcause notice issued against the station house officer (SHO) after an internal inquiry into Sunday’s snatching incident involving a woman journalist found that the police response to the crime was not satisfactory.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur Tuesday said the inquiry report pointed out that despite the crime taking place in the territorial jurisdiction of their police beat, the three beat personnel (now suspended) were the last ones to react to the crime. The three were present in the area but reached the spot late.
The report also highlighted the fact that police pickets and other anti-snatching measures in the area were inadequate and that helped snatchers flee easily after snatching the journalist’s cellphone. Through the show-cause notice, the SHO has been asked why he failed to ensure that all anti-snatching measures were in place, the DCP said.
Joymala Bagchi, a journalist working with news agency ANI, fractured her jawbone and suffered multiple injuries to her face, elbow and other parts of her body after she fell out of a moving autorickshaw while trying to save the cellphone from two bike-borne snatchers in Chittaranjan Park area on Sunday evening. The snatchers also verbally abused the woman while fleeing.
DCP Thakur said a robbery case was registered and during its investigation, more than 100 CCTV cameras installed around the crime scene and on the routes that the suspects took while fleeing were scanned. The investigating team found at least half a dozen video footage in which the suspects could be seen.
“After analysing the footage, we have come to the conclusion that the suspects were riding a white TVS Apache bike and wore helmets. We have prepared a list of around 1,500 bikes of a similar colour and make and all of them are being verified. Twenty-five teams are working on the case,” he said.
The police are also rounding up men involved in similar crimes and also those who buy stolen goods. History-sheeters recently released from jail are
also under probe, the DCP said.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj Tuesday evening held a meeting with senior police officers and members of RWAS and Durga Puja committees of CR Park to review security arrangements ahead of Durga Puja festivities.
“There was lot of concern and anxiety among senior citizens and women about safety in CR Park. Police have assured us that the snatching case will be solved at the earliest,” Bhardwaj said.
According to the MLA, the meeting also discussed better policing and traffic regulations during Durga Puja. “It was decided that no outside vehicles will be allowed to enter CR Park during the three days of Durga Puja (October 6 to October 8) after 5pm. Only residents would be allowed to take their vehicles inside and such vehicles will have special stickers,” he said.