Gang of snatchers targets bus passengers on Bypass

KOLKATA: When 22-year-old Rohit Kumar Sharma from Champaran in Bihar, who is studying engineering at a college in Garia, was approached by a man while returning from college a couple of days ago, he did not suspect anything. Sayantan Nandi, a hotel management trainee, too, was candid when asked about his future plans by his co-passenger on his way home from Salt Lake on Thursday. By the time the strangers got off at EM Bypass — at Metro Cash and Carry and Ruby crossings, respectively — Sharma and Nandi had lost their mobile phones.

Police have come across a number of cases in the past three weeks — with complaints getting lodged at Survey Park, Garfa and Kasba police stations — when gangs are targeting bus passengers on EM Bypass and stealing their mobile phones and purses. “It is different from the traditional pickpocketing where the accused takes the advantage of remaining anonymous in a crowd. Rather, it’s all about starting a conversation and striking when the victim is least aware of it,” claimed Nandi. A Kasba officer said “multiple cases” are being reported each week, for which GDs were being lodged. Most of victims are bus passengers, he added.


The Survey Park police, who are investigating the case involving Sharma, stated that the incident took place around 6pm in a packed bus plying between Garia and airport. “The accused person stole the victim’s phone when the latter was de-boarding a public bus (route AS3) at Metro Cash & Carry bus stop on EM bypass,” the FIR stated.

Cops said they have various leads on the gang. “We have carried out detentions and are sure we can unmask this gang,” said an investigating officer. The watch section, along with south suburban division officers, said that those involved did not usually speak to their victims. “Gangs are now travelling in packed buses from South 24 Parganas and then targeting the commuters. Also, there are women members in the gang. Several cases go unreported,” said an officer from the watch section.

“On New Year’s Eve, a large number of people throng at Park Street. This provides the ideal situation for the accused to strike. But for the rest of the year, the EM Bypass stretch provides a ready crowd and several escape routes,” said an officer at Lalbazar.

The officer said they had deployed more than 200 men in plain clothes, including officers from Kolkata Police’s watch section — one of the 21 sections of detective department whose responsibility is to mix with people at crowded places and look for suspicious activities — in the stretch between Garia and Ruby to nab the habitual offenders.