Two Panchkula women lose gold chains to snatchers during blackout

Amid the tense situation between India and Pakistan and a blackout imposed by the district administration, two women in Panchkula were robbed in separate chain-snatching incidents on Thursday and Friday.

The latest incident occurred on Friday around 7pm. Harjit Kaur, 50, a resident of Sector 21, reported that when she was walking home from market with her son during the blackout, a motorcycle rider approached from behind and snatched her chain worth ₹80,000. The rider was wearing a helmet. The Sector-5 police station has registered a case under Section 304 of the BNS.

On Thursday, a similar incident occurred around 7pm. During blackout, two unidentified bikers targeted 62-year-old Urmil Bassi, a retired PGI employee residing in the same sector. Bassi and her husband were walking towards an acquaintance’s residence when they encountered two men struggling with their motorcycle. As they passed, one of the men, wearing a cap, suddenly snatched the gold chain from her neck, estimated to be worth ₹75,000. The accused managed to flee on their motorcycle.

₹3.6L cash, gold jewellery stolen in Mauli village

A theft was reported in Mauli village, Raipur Rani, where thieves made off with ₹3.6 lakh and gold jewellery valued at ₹60,000. The incident occurred during the day when the house was unoccupied.

The complainant, Pinki, stated that the theft took place on Friday. Pinki and her husband were alone at their residence. Around 10.30am, Pinki her husband went to Barwala to get medicine.

Upon returning around 12.30pm, they discovered that the lock of their almirah had been broken, and the contents were scattered. A sum of ₹3.6 lakh and two gold rings were missing. A case under Section 305 of the BNS was registered.

DCP holds key meet

DCP Himadree Kaushik held a crime meeting on Friday, prioritising the prevention of snatching and vehicle theft. She directed ACPs to personally visit crime scenes and emphasised accelerating pending investigations. Station heads were instructed to maintain active checkpoints with thorough vehicle checks and CCTV monitoring.

The DCP issued strict directives against illegal mining and illicit liquor, mandating identification of activities, seizures, and arrests. Special law and order companies were ordered to conduct regular drills for emergency preparedness.

Focusing on narcotics, the DCP called for identifying hotspots and involving social organisations in awareness campaigns. For women’s safety, regular inspection and surveillance of vulnerable areas were mandated. Increased patrolling in key locations and vigilant monitoring of social media for inflammatory content were also ordered. The police force was instructed to remain alert and prepared for any emergency.