Baripada: Amid a spurt in theft and robbery cases in Baripada town and on its outskirts, police have sought help of local youths to curb the criminal activities.
Reports said, thieves and robbers have been committing crimes with impunity while police have failed to nab them in most cases.
Given the growing trend in crime, residents feel that law and order situation in the town has been in a mess due to some ‘inefficient’ police officials. Police have to face criticism from various quarters due to a spurt in crimes in the current month.
It was alleged that police have been calling the meeting of Ama Police Samiti just to hide its inefficiency under the plea of seeking public cooperation. Ama Police Samiti meeting was held at Baripada police station Wednesday evening. Intellectuals, lawyers and former councilors were present.
A proposal was passed in the meeting. As the proposal, ward committees will be formed while local youths will be taken as its members. A policeman will be its member too. Members will act as honorary one. The members of the ward committees will go in for night patrolling and keep tabs on anti-social activities.
It was learnt that since the civil squad of police is allegedly in a limbo, police fail to glean intelligence inputs about crime.
It is said that criminals from other districts have been committing crimes in slum areas and going scot-free.
Surprisingly, miscreants recently burgled the houses of two police officials even as some outfits have been bracing up to stage protests against the police.