Shortage of cops: Burglars make merry in Jangaon

The maximum number of burglaries have been reported from Banapuram Indiramma Colony, Agricultural Market, Ambedkar Nagar Colony and Vasavi Colony.

Jangaon: The Jangaon town is witnessing a sharp rise in the number of burglaries in the last few months, with 39 burglaries reported in the last four months.

According to official data, more than 800 cases used to be registered every year in the Jangaon town police station. However, in the last two months alone, around 20 such incidents have been reported from various residential colonies under the Jangaon police station jurisdiction. The maximum number of such incidents have been reported from Banapuram Indiramma Colony, Agricultural Market, Ambedkar Nagar Colony and Vasavi Colony.

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On July 1, 11 tolas of gold and 25 tolas of silver ornaments and Rs.15,000 were looted from a house in Beerappagadda. About 35 grams of gold and 150 grams of silver ornaments were stolen from another house in Banapuram on the same night. Locals complain that since there is only one police station in the town, the available police personnel were not able to control the crime.

As per the population of the town, the total number of police officers and staff should be up to 70 in the police station but there are only 50 barely. The existing staff have to perform all kinds of duties such as security, traffic, law and order, security of Collectorate and other areas, apart from bandobast duties at protest and dharnas, not to mention night patrolling. The existing staff was not enough to provide security to over one lakh people residing in the town, officials themselves admitted.

A senior official said that if a major political event was held, a good number of policemen would be deployed for bandobast duty, leaving most of the areas either vulnerable to criminals or at the mercy of CCTVs. “Political events, riots, and protests take away many cops available for the usual night rounds and other crime prevention measures,” the official said.

Meanwhile, locals are demanding the government to sanction at least one more police station with adequate staff to control crime in the town.