Punjab: Bike riding youths snatched phone from diya seller

Punjab: Despite police claims of beefing up security for Diwali, which includes 14 teams patrolling round the clock, a girl selling diyas outside Nehru Park was last night robbed of her mobile phone by two bike-borne miscreants. The girl said the phone was worth more than the total amount she earned by selling diyas. According to reports, the girl, who hails from Thakur Abadi, was at her shop when two youths came on a motorcycle and snatched the device and fled. Though she raised an alarm and chased them for some distance, the miscreants fled.
The administration had assured residents of installing CCTV cameras around the Nehru Park, known for its security issues; however, many street lights in the area were out of order, leaving the park poorly lit. Though the police had set up a checkpoint nearby to monitor vehicles, it failed to prevent the incident. Sukhjinder Singh Rajan, a Bharatiya Kisan Union activist who witnessed the incident, consoled the girl and expressed his displeasure over the situation. He condemned the incident and said it was unacceptable for such a crime to take place amid the festive rush despite police assurances. He said targeting a family that worked hard to celebrate Diwali by selling diyas raises concerns about the effectiveness of local law enforcement.