Gangs no more in vogue, solo crimes in Panchkula

PANCHKULA: It seems that the Panchkula police machinery is being taken for granted by the criminals as now 'solo crimes' are being committed which means that the criminals are striking without a gang.
"It shows the extent of guts the criminals possess. It even reflects how they perceive the police machinery that they feel no need to have a companion in the crime.They are too sure that they can easily commit it all alone," said Rajveer Singh, a resident of sector-11, Panchkula.
"One can only imagine the state of mind of criminals that they have become so bold to commit the crime alone. Previously in Panchkula, gangs used to commit crime but now a single person has become a menace," said Suresh Garg, a resident of sector-4,Panchkula.
"It depends on the mindset of the criminal. If he gets support from his friends, then they strike in a group, if he thinks not to disclose it to anyone, he strikes alone," said Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP), Dheeraj Setia.
It was on May 20 when a youth tried to perform the act of stealing at the residence of Thakurs in sector-10, Panchkula. The accused was identified as Suryakant, who hails from Uttar Pradesh. He was carrying a bag which had a big knife and a live cartridge in it. The youth also had a pistol and held the lady, her daughter and the maid hostage.
Similarly, Simran, a fashion designer from sector-15, Panchkula was murdered by a youth on April 30, 2011. Not only this, her body was packed in a Punto car and dumped in a vacant plot near Lidhran village on the Jalandhar-Amritsar National Highway.
Also on October 20, 2009, two year old Jiya was kidnapped from her house in sector-7, Panchkula by an unidentified person when she was playing outside her house. It was later when the police nabbed the accused that he disclosed that he had performed the heinous crime single handedly.
On October5, 2010, one and a half year old Arnav Bansal was also kidnapped from his house in sector-7, Panchkula by a youth when he was playing outside his house.