Hyderabad: Senior citizens soft target for criminals

Hyderabad: Chain snatchers and burglars are increasingly targeting elderly persons with many of them staying alone and being physically weak. With such senior citizens not being able to resist the attackers nor swiftly raise an alarm, with some being assaulted and injured as well, police said many crooks were now targeting this section of the […]

Hyderabad: Chain snatchers and burglars are increasingly targeting elderly persons with many of them staying alone and being physically weak.

With such senior citizens not being able to resist the attackers nor swiftly raise an alarm, with some being assaulted and injured as well, police said many crooks were now targeting this section of the society for easy money.

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While some of these crimes were carried out after watching their residences and gathering information about their routine and family members, several other times, the crime was instantly planned and executed within minutes at the spot, under the notion that the elderly can’t fight back.

“Aged persons are an easy target for criminals as they cannot fight back,” said an official, adding that the victims can hardly remember or recollect the features of those who attacked them due to poor memory at their late age. About 10 such incidents were reported in the recent past from the police limits of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates.

It was also observed that offenders in Cyberabad and Rachakonda were striking people in their residences and on secluded roads. Officials said that in all such cases, it was found that the victims were staying alone in the houses or walking on the road wearing valuables.

“Usually, senior citizens stay in a separate room on the ground floor with their family members staying in the other portion. There are no proper safety measures taken. It is suggested that one person should be taking care and giving support to the elders in the house,” an official said.

It is good to have someone stay with the elderly round the clock, or maybe on a shift basis, the official added. The police are also asking the public to have an attendant to take care of elders and to check the antecedents of those employed thoroughly and verified before employing them.

“The details of helpers or attendants have to be updated with the local police or on the Hawk-Eye police application. This will ensure that they are tracked and watched,” police said.

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