Bike-borne youths snatch phone from diya seller
Despite police claims of enhanced security for Diwali, including the deployment of 14 round-the-clock patrolling teams, two bike-borne miscreants snatched a mobile phone from a girl selling diyas outside Nehru Park here last night. The girl said the phone was worth more than the total amount she made by selling diyas.
According to reports, the girl, a resident of Thakur Abadi, was at her stall when the two youths approached on a motorcycle, quickly snatching the device and fleeing. Though she raised an alarm and chased them for a short distance, the miscreants escaped.
The administration had assured residents of the installation of CCTV cameras around Nehru Park, known for its safety issues; however, many streetlights in the area were defunct, leaving the park poorly lit. While police had set up a checkpoint nearby to monitor vehicles, it failed to prevent the incident.
A Bharatiya Kisan Union activist, Sukhjinder Singh Rajan, who witnessed the event, consoled the girl and expressed outrage at the situation. He condemned the incident and noted it was unacceptable for such a crime to occur amid the festive crowds despite police assurances. He said targeting a family working hard to celebrate Diwali by selling diyas raised concerns about the effectiveness of local law enforcement.
