25 snatchings a day, but Delhi has no law to fight it

NEW DELHI: Ukraine ambassador Igor Polikha's iPhone was snatched at Red Fort on Wednesday morning, but he was not the only target of snatchers in Delhi that day . On an average, police get 25 complaints of snatching daily , which is marginally less than 27 a day in 2016, but no solace to the 6,466 victims who lost their phones, bags, jewellery and other valuables on the streets till September 15 this year.
Snatching has become a common crime in the past 16 years.Back in 2001, the average was less than 2 cases a day . The actual number of cases in all these years might have been higher because people often do not report snatching; however, the 12-fold increase is worrying.
Why has snatching become rampant? Police say it is mainly down to easier registration of cases in the past five years. Crime on the street has not increased so much but the numbers are closer to reality now, they claim. That might be, but Delhi does not even have a specific law to deal with snatching. Cases are recorded under a police-enacted provision that applies two IPC sections for theft and use of force. Under Section 356 IPC, which deals with use of criminal force in an attempt to commit theft of property, the maximum punishment is two years. Under Section 379, which deals with theft, it is three years. If a victim is injured, a charge of robbery (Sec tion 392 IPC) is applied and the punishment can extend to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with fine. However, cases registered under this section often fall in court for lack of evidence.
Police officers and legal experts TOI spoke to said Delhi needs a new law to deal with snatchers, and neighboring Haryana has a model to offer.
Two years ago it cracked down on snatching with two new penal sections (379 A & B of IPC), making snatching non-bailable and increasing the maximum imprisonment to 14 years.
Most of the snatching in Delhi is done by 25-odd small gangs with 2-4 members each.Officers say a more stringent version of Section 356 and dedicated anti-snatching teams in each police station might deter snatchers. Recently , the police commissioner asked officers to identify the gangs of snatchers and take them on with MCOCA, the law against organised crime.
Dealing with snatchers is hard because courts grant them bail easily, and lack of evidence makes it difficult to prove cases. “Most victims do not pursue their case,“ an officer told TOI. “The test identification parade (TIP) fails as most victims cannot recognise them. Snatchers usually wear helmets to hide their faces. Also, because the bike and mobile phone used in the crime are stolen, establishing the identity of the snatchers become difficult.“
Snatched jewellery is melted within hours so there is no case property to establish the case either. The accused are out within months in most cases, another officer said.