The law and order situation has dipped further.

Police, known to be napping while the crime graph soars, has scored a self-goal this time. On Thursday evening around 8, two bike-borne youths snatched a minor's cellphone in the Patrakar Nagar area.

The Class XI boy, returning home from tuition, went to the police station but the cops refused to register the FIR fearing it would dent their reputation. In addition, they also advised him to lodge an informatory that his handset had gone missing.

A double blow for residents - on the one hand, police have failed to check incidents of loot and snatching and on the other, the cops refuse to lodge FIRs fearing their image would be sullied. More than six incidents of snatching have occurred in the past three days.

Son of an army jawan, the boy went back home to return with his father Vijay Ranjan Sinha. However, even Sinha's plea to the officer, who had S. Prasad written on his nametag, fell on deaf ears and the FIR was not registered.

Irked over the incident, Sinha turned up at the office of Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jitender Rana on Friday and narrated his experience seeking intervention of the senior officer. The SSP assured Sinha that he would look into his complaint.

However, even when complaints are registered, the results are frighteningly the same. When The Telegraph asked the SSP about the outcome of police investigation in such cases, all he had to offer was a customary reply. "The police are aware that incidents of theft, snatching and duping are on the rise. There have been quite a few incidents in the past three days and the cops are looking for clues to identify a pattern. Necessary investigations are being done and there will be a breakthrough soon," the SSP said.

Sources said efforts were also being made to dig out details of criminals who have been recently released from jail. "Generally, such habitual criminals become active after coming out of jail. We are looking at this possibility to find some clues in the recent cases," said the officer.

He, however, said one could not rule out the possibility of youths who might not have criminal background.

RECENT CRIMES

? Sum of over Rs 4 lakh looted from petrol pump 
? Criminals steal around Rs 4 lakh from couple’s vehicle on Boring Road 
? Woman robbed of valuables during morning walk