Senior citizens, a soft target for criminals

Nagpur: The murder of 82-year-old Kamlabai Wasnik on Saturday is the second such incident of elderly citizens being targeted within a week after Bhagwati Chanda’s body was found at her residence at Ambedkar Nagar on November 10. Wadi police, even after a week, are groping in the dark regarding the murder of 70-year-old Chanda. Four elderly citizens have been murdered this year but no arrests have been made in any case.
Apart from murders, there is alarming rise in tricksters targeting elderly citizens and robbing them of ornaments and cash. This year, there have been around 38 cases in which tricksters posing as cops have robbed senior citizens. This is an increase of more than 50% in comparison to last year. Besides tricksters posing as cops, chain-snatchers have been also specifically targeting elderly citizens.
Police have not been able to ascertain motives in all four murders of senior citizens, including Kamlabai’s. Though miscreants decamped with most of the gold ornaments on Kamlabai’s body after the murder, police are baffled by the earrings that the culprits left behind. Police are suspecting insiders’ involvement over property dispute in all the four cases.
Former principal judge of family court, Bhavna Thaker, said senior citizens face both internal and external threats, that is, from family as well as criminals. Thaker stressed that police should highlight the systems they have to help senior citizens. “Senior citizens should be also alerted about the dangers that they are likely to face. They should not try to shield anyone from police just because the tormentor is a family member,” she said.
Retired police officer Ramesh Mehta, part of NGO Samvedna that assists senior citizens, denied that senior citizens are particularly unsafe. “Detection of cases pertaining to elderly generation is important as much as prevention,” he said.
Senior citizen activist Madhukar Bhavsar stated that help centres are required across the city for better redressal of the grievances. “Police should be prompt in every case related to elderly generations,” he said.
Joint CP Anup Kumar Singh stated that police are trying its level best to ensure citizens are secure. “We have mobile vans, bike patrolling and so on and efforts are being made to minimize crimes. Detections too are taking place. We are also dedicatedly working even on the murder cases of elderly citizens,” said Singh.
Police have senior citizen help desk and line 0712-2564333 where around 3,000 members are also enrolled who have been issued I-cards. A sub-inspector, attached to help desk, stated that police help desk is trying to ensure that more members are enrolled and existing ones are made feel safe.
CASES THIS YEAR
* Kamlabai Wasnik, 82
MURDERED ON | Nov 16
STATUS | Investigation has just began
* Bhagwati Chanda, 70
MURDERED ON | Nov 10
STATUS | Family members under scanner. No progress
* Narsingdas Prajapati, 72
MURDERED ON | May 24
STATUS | Family members under scanner. No progress
* Roshni Petkar, 52
MURDERED ON | July 13
STATUS | Undetected