Visakhapatnam: The number of robberies has been slowly rising in Vizag city while detection rate has gone down. Despite intensified patrolling, inter-state gangs have been giving jolt to Vizagites as well as police forces. Police claims that outside gangs are visiting the city and committing the crimes.
Sources in police said that two armed dacoities one at Darapalem area in Vizag and other at PM Palem were reported in the past two months apart from three murders. Cases of armed robbery have sent shockwaves among residents on the outskirts of the city where police vigil was low.
A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said that though they have managed to arrest some persons in connection with the murder of businessman Vikram Prakash Dhamija, 47, chairman and managing director of Best Cranes, they could not nab the other accused so far. Beside inter-state criminals, local gangs from Vizag region are also procuring firearms to scare people. A few years back, firearms were used by goons in metro cities but the gun culture is spreading into Vizag city and smaller towns in north coastal Andhra, he added.
A couple of years back in Vizag city, there were two major gangs. But now small gangs are formed in jails that are responsible for some of the crimes.
