Ranchi, April 27: The crime graph of Argora police station area has seen a sharp rise this month.

Three cases of loot and four cases of chain snatching have been reported from the area this month while last month only two such cases were reported, that too, after a long interval.

Police officials confirmed the report and said most such incidents took place after sunset.

“When women venture out for an evening walk, especially during power failures, goons get an opportunity to snatch their possessions. Among seven cases reported this week, four are of chain snatching,” an official of Argora police station said.

Residents of the area supported the fact by saying that the locality had become unsafe. “It has become difficult to walk alone. On April 24, a few criminals looted chains of three women when they were on their way to the vegetable market,” Sanjay Singh, a local resident said.

A resident of the High Court Colony, Vikash Kumar said, on April 8, a few goons stabbed a student and looted Rs 5,000 from him near Sahajanand Chowk.

“The student was heading to his lodge when the incident took place,” Kumar added.

A resident of Ashok Nagar said the criminals looted an income tax officer at his house on April 4.

“Four goons barged into the house of income tax officer K.K. Srivastava and looted Rs 1 lakh and jewellery,” a resident said requesting anonymity.

Three persons have been arrested in this connection on April 16 and were identified as Pradeep Kachhap, Firoz Alam and Abdul Alam. Some cash was also recovered from them,” the resident added.

Pradeep Sahu, a resident of Harmu, said criminals looted a mobile from a youth near the Housing Board office on Saturday evening. “The youth was talking on his cell phone when two men stole his phone on gun point,” he said.

Officer in charge of Argora police station Ranjeet Kumar Sinha admitted the fact and said many among these cases were solved.

“Three youths who were involved in the loot at Srivastava’s residence have been arrested and forwarded to jail. We will nab the others soon,” he said.