While crimes like murder, robbery, and drug trafficking continue to rise across Tamil Nadu, a shocking wave of chain snatching incidents in Chennai on 24 March has left residents alarmed. Seven separate cases of jewelry theft were reported in a single day in a single hour, sparking concerns about public safety and law & order in the state.
Many have accused the police of focusing more on arresting activists and opposition members critical of the government rather than tackling criminal activities.
A One-Hour Crime Spree Across Chennai
The series of chain snatchings took place between 6 AM and 7 AM in multiple locations, including Thiruvanmiyur, Besant Nagar, Guindy, Saidapet, Velachery, and Pallikaranai. Victims included
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A woman in Indira Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, lost 5 sovereigns of gold jewelry while heading to work.
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Another woman in Shastri Nagar, who was undergoing training, was robbed of half a sovereign.
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A pedestrian near the Guindy MRC Ground had 5 sovereigns stolen.
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A woman on her way to work in Saidapet lost 1 sovereign of jewelry.
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Two other women in Velachery and Pallikaranai also fell victim to the snatchers.
The rapid succession of these crimes has created widespread fear among the public.
Police Investigation Underway
Initial investigations suggest that all seven incidents were executed within an hour by two individuals riding the same two-wheeler. Reports indicate that the gang moved from Pallikaranai through Adyar and Velachery before vanishing.
Cases have been registered at multiple police stations, and authorities are actively investigating. However, the sheer scale of the coordinated thefts—resulting in the loss of over 15 sovereign of jewelry—has raised serious concerns about law enforcement’s ability to maintain public safety.
(With Inputs From Maalai Malar)
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