The police in Patna have found an ally — the residents, who have decided to take it upon themselves to enforce law and order in the capital.

On Wednesday, residents of the Jakanpur area caught a criminal after a snatch bid went awry. Two accomplices of the man managed to escape. The quick reaction of the people has put a question mark on the functioning of police, specially patrolling by the Quick Mobile force on motorbikes.

Ranjana Devi (55) was on her way home along with her daughter when two of the three men attacked her around 200m away from her residence at Postal Park and tried to snatch her chain around 9pm. The criminals fired a shot in the air when the women resisted. Hearing the gunshot, residents rushed to the spot and caught one of the criminals. He was beaten up before being handed over to the police.

The residents rued the lack of police patrolling.

“Earlier, there used to be patrolling, especially by personnel on motorbikes. But these stopped and they are rarely seen now. One of the attackers had pointed a pistol at them but the residents overpowered him. The police was then informed. The man was beaten up as well,” said Rajender Kumar, a resident of the area.

However, this was not a stray incident.

On July 22, a man was shot at by a group of people at the Boring Road roundabout. The cops on patrol duty at a distance of 30m failed to hear the shots. However, sources said some residents gave the fleeing criminals a chase.

“The police said the victim should have come to them. It was important that he be rushed to the hospital. Some persons, who were present on the spot chased them but they were much faster,” a stall owner told The Telegraph.

“A couple of months back, the blade man terrorised Patna City. In at least two slashing incidents, the residents had caught hold the suspects. The police had deployed many men in civil clothes for more than a month but were unable to arrest anyone. If there are so many men on patrol duty, why are there so little on-the-spot catches?” Sudha Sharma, a teacher, said.

In November last year, the number of Quick Mobile bikes was increased from 56 to 82. The probationary sub-inspectors who had been found indulging in lawless activities last year were replaced with sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspector rank officers. The total number of people in this service rests at 164 against the earlier 112.

“All the police stations have been directed to always patrol their areas. There is definitely a presence of police most of the times,” a senior officer told The Telegraph.