The Outer Ring Road-Sarjapur Road saw mugging incidents in mid 2010. Later the HSR Police nabbed some culprits.
These incidents have again started in the area. Here are some incidents that happened. Note: some have been verified and some not.
The Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) has organised a helpline. If anybody finds themself in this situation, they can call 9972630616. They should dial the phone number, keep it on and keep talking to let us know the area / where he is. The ORRCA supervisor and team will try and do the needful immediately.
The modus operandi is: Residents, driving alone in a car are stopped by a few men on bikes and claim money on the pretext that the car has hit their bikes by showing their damages. These con-men threaten the resident and damage the car and they speak in loud voices in Kannada. They make sure that he can’t call anybody by snatching his mobile. The con-men take the victim to a nearby ATM and make him withdraw money to pay for the "damages". They never come inside the ATM.
#1: Total Mall on eve of Diwali around 10 pm: Two assailants (one of whom brandished a gun) attack Harlur Road Resident in car with wife. He says he managed to give them the slip; The attackers broke the driver window as he accelerated his vehicle.
#2: Two men on bike chase a member of Forward 150 down Sarjapur Road (near Carmel Ram railway cross) till Kodathi gate. It is a lonely stretch
#3: Suncity resident is chased at about 9 am in busy Outer Ring Road. On the way to office by car, just after crossing the Morgan chase, two men on a bike shouted at him to stop the car and gesticulating that he had hit something. Remembering the earlier mugging incidents, he ignored them. They started chasing him and after 100m and made him slow down. They asked him which language he understands and realising he doesn’t understand Kannada, asked him to stop on the service road. The resident decided to continue to drive and later sped away; the goons stopped chasing him after a while.
#4: An employee of Prestige Tech Park near JP Morgan Chase met with similar incident near Innovative multiplex at 10AM today morning. After some heated arguments and abusive language exchanges, the gang stopped chasing the man after some distance. Luckily he did not come out of the car and that saved him from mugging.
#5: The gang made a man withdraw cash from ATM, when his card didn’t work, they apparently cut his fingers.
#6: The gang used similar technique to stop a man who believed when they said he had caused some accident and got down from the car. They later made him withdraw 18,000 Rs.
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What are the cops doing ? if things are happening in broad daylight, why can’t the residents / people working in this area go to the Police Commissioner or the Home Minister
You have twice mentioned that these muggers spoke Kannada. What exactly are you hinting at? Can you please clarify?
The government and its machinery will start acting only when there is enough smoke and fire that they are left with no option but to act. I suggest that all the techies boycott work.. let the companies know that the law and order situation is not good enough to venture out into the streets of Bangalore and they prefer to stay at home till there is enough guarentee from the administration. Once the companies will feel the heat, they will duly pass it on to the administration. Sometimes, sadly, there is no other way to tackle this kind of menace, especially when the “powerful” ones chose to turn a blindeye to common man’s problems.
It is really a sad state of affairs when the government and its machinery chose to turn a blind eye to such problems, and inturn encourage such elements in society.
The administration will wake up only when there is enough fire and smoke that they are forced to act. I suggest that all the techies boycott work citing safety reasons.. tell your company that you do not feel safe enough to venture into the streets of Bangalore until the situation is addressed. Once the companies feel the heat, they will surely ensure the administration feel it even more. Sadly, that seems to be the only way to get these people to take notice of common man’s problems.
what is being tried to convey here is, if you dont understand kannada, the muggers are getting more confident of looting..
that is all. no need to take it out of context pls. it is a well known fact how the kannada factor is being used when in conflict.
and btw: im a KA born and brought-up guy.
i agree with Ajay… it is not just the muggers but seems to be the general tendency of Bangalore. few of my friends who are not from karnataka will leave this city at the first opportunity they get, all for one reason – ‘just because we do not speak kannada, we are made to feel unwelcome’
These incidents have happened too many times without anybody being apprehended. The cons do not seem to have any fear either. Can the police commissioner vouch that his men are not involved in this? Something does not smell right.
The police have traffic cameras installed at many inters tins on the ORR. Many victims or would be victims have seem the assailants in broad daylight. Why are they not able to solve this crime?
If Police can’t help us, we need to help ourselves.
If you are sure you haven’t hit anyone, just don’t stop your car, lock your doors, roll up your windows. Then, run them over and flee the scene.
What are the chances of them reporting this to the police ?
Even if they do, you will be out in no time once the police realizes you have done their job. 😉
Another recent mugging incident in the same spot – reported by one of the recident in suncity recident group
His mail is below
Dear all,
Just want to alert everyone on a mugging incident – maybe a new modus operandi – right at the bus stop near Shobha Garnet on Friday night with my Nephew.
At around 9:30 PM on Friday (14th Oct) My Nephew took a left turn to go to Nilgiris to buy something. A few meters after the bus stop (in front of lake area – where some big pipes are lying), a person (X) was sitting on road-side. As soon as my nephew crossed X, X tried to approach him and hold his hand, he tried to release himself, just then, 3 more people came in an auto and all of them started beating him and slammed his face on the road-side grill. He cried to help but that side is not well lit and even very few people at that point. They emptied his pockets and took his purse, cell phone etc and flew away in that same auto.
Just wanted to let everyone know of this new mode of mugging and point right near sun-city. Please be careful and watch out.
Regards,
Atul Jain
Last night I was coming to my home from KR Puram to Kaggadas pura, through DRDO phase 2 and the lane infront of Reliance fresh is curve and narrow , there was a bike KA53H9839 parked on the road. I was about to take turn in my car and one Tata Sumo was coming from front so unintentionally I just took little bit left and back side of my car touched the two wheeler and two wheeler just fell down. Out of courtesy I just got down of my car and checking whether anything happened to bike. There was no scratch and the bike was perfectly allright but owner was not ready and claimed that handle needs repair and asked me 2500 rupees. Within no time a group of people sorrounded my vehicled and suggested me to pay money to get out of the trouble. My wife, my father was with me and unfortunately I did not have that much money and one person suggested me to get down from car go to nearest ATM center with one of the crowd. But I just reminded all incident about mugging so I kind of stopped inside car and asked them to call Police. They were not ready to call police and asked me to go to nearest local garage get the bike repaired. I just followed them to nearest garage and the mechanic also seemed to be part of the group, gave a quote of 2500 for repair. I then asked them to call police and one of them told me nothing will happen even police comes too. WIth my further insistence, one person called Mahadev pura police and two police came in bike but they had some discussion with one person in local language and without talking to me the police disappeared. I was again back to square. Mean while I called couple of my friends. In the mean time one rough speaking guy from the crowd started foul mouthing my wide and father. I was literally got scared. Three of my friends arrived in the spot and then I got a sense of security. The owner of the bike now asked us to pay him 400 rupees and My friends talked to garage mechanic paid 500 rupees and finally I came out of this mess.