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Urge for flashy lifestyle, drugs land them in jail

BHUBANESWAR: It was a matter of a few months more when a 24-year-old a final year student of business administration of the city-based Silicon Institute, could well have been absorbed in any white-collar job with a hefty monthly salary.

But he grew impatient. He chose to manage a gang that outclassed others in snatching purses and cell phones from women. By the time, he and his gang members were nabbed by police, the stolen property seized from them swelled to Rs. 2.5 lakh.

What made him to choose this path? He needed about Rs. 200 per day to quench his thirst for narcotic drugs. He was not the only youth who was in the college. Nineteen-year-old student of Industrial Training Centre, Patrapara, also snatched a few cell phones, credit cards and gold bangles.

“This is completely a new gang of criminals. They have not been apprehended before. What is interesting is most of the gang members are from well to do families. Their main mode of operation is snatching of vanity bags, air bags and mobile phone through out the capital city by assaulting, terrorising the victims,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bhubaneswar zone) Amitabh Thakur said.

Police got the clue from about the gang when the principal accused made a failed attempt to purchase mobile phone through a stolen credit card, Mr. Thakur said. Based on his confession during interrogation, other members of the gang were nabbed on Monday.

Police officers were surprised when they stumbled upon the fact that the key accused drove car while he had tremendous control over his gang members. His father is a state government employee. Police exhibited 14 latest mobile sets, cash of Rs 64,500, gold bangle, wrist watches and 10 ATM and credit cards.

The city police were concerned with students increasingly entering into the world of crime.

“Drug addiction was the main reason behind students committing petty crimes. These students also want a flashy lifestyle. With no money in their pockets to achieve the lifestyle in student career, snatching has become easy way out for them,” the DCP said.

Bhubaneswar police had caught more than four gangs involving students during last one year. In each case, drug addiction was found to be major factor. Students were from leading engineering colleges and other professional institutes.

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