Patna: A series of thefts across six police station areas of Patna City has left residents alarmed, with property worth more than Rs 2 crore reported stolen in the past four months. Despite multiple cases, including thefts worth Rs 78 lakh recorded in August alone, police have so far failed to make a breakthrough.
Victims have accused the police of neglecting the crimes, fuelling perceptions that thieves operate without fear of consequences. Residents say they are both distressed and angered by the surge in thefts.
On August 29, burglars broke into the office of Manik Shah near Gulzarbagh station in the Alamganj area, escaping with jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh and Rs 21 lakh in cash. In Agamkuan, jewellery valued at Rs 15 lakh was stolen from the locked home of the mother-in-law of a senior Water Resources Department official. Other thefts in the same jurisdiction included incidents involving property worth Rs 5 lakh and Rs 12 lakh.
In Malsalami, eight intruders looted valuables worth Rs 17 lakh from the home of a private hospital operator earlier this month. A further theft of Rs 20 lakh was reported by Dr Alok Kumar in Bypass, while property worth Rs 30 lakh was stolen from the home of the wife of a retired electricity department engineer in Mehndiganj.
The most significant single incident occurred in Sultanganj, where jewellery worth Rs 35 lakh and cash amounting to Rs 5 lakh were taken from the home of PMCH OT assistant Prabhu Thakur.
Police officials have urged citizens not to leave homes unattended, stating that in many cases local residents have been implicated in such crimes. “We are committed to solving these cases using scientific methods,” said Dr Gaurav Kumar, DSP-2 of Patna City, adding that investigations are ongoing.
