An innocent one-year-old child became a victim of a ruthless chain-snatcher on Wednesday morning at Guru Govind Singh Hospital, exposing lawlessness at the health hub attached to the upcoming Jai Prakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPNAIIMS).

The child, Rajbir, went to the health hub for a check-up with his parents, residents of Dalhatta area under the Malsalami police station. But before meeting the doctor at the Patna City hospital, he had an eyeball to eyeball with the chain-snatcher he would perhaps never recognise.

The criminal struck around 11.30am on the hospital premises under the jurisdiction of Khajekala police station. Rajbir’s parents — mother Deepa Kesri and father Rinku Kesri — could not see the criminal as he snatched the gold chain from the rear.

Sporting an orange and white dress, the cute kid was in his mother’s lap in standing posture when the criminal snatched the chain. Little did the baby realise that it was his first tryst with the darker side of the society.

An officer at the Khajekala police station told The Telegraph: “Neither the father, nor the mother of the child could see the face of the chain-snatcher as he had accomplished his mission from the rear. The parents of the child said they had an appointment with one of the doctors of the hospital. A person suddenly grasped the gold locket of the chain the child was wearing and snatched it. Before the family could react, the chain-snatcher fled. An FIR has been lodged.”

Another officer gave a different description of the theft. He said: “Rinku and Deepa with her son in her lap (in picture) were standing in a queue for registration at the hospital. A man standing right behind them snatched the chain. The child did not suffer any injury because the criminal silently opened the hook of the chain, pocketed it and fled.”

The identification process of the criminal is on, the officer said.

Chain-snatchers have been striking in the city virtually at their will. Several incidents of snatching have occurred in the Patna City area over the past few months.

Deputy inspector-general (central range) Sunil Kumar recently said patrolling had been increased in areas like Patliputra and Rajiv Nagar, which witnessed loot and snatchings.

“The number of quick mobiles has been increased by at least 30. The number now rests around 99 for the entire Patna, including the Patna City area. The police are now concentrating on the entire capital, including crime-prone Patna City,” an officer said.