Jamshedpur, Jan. 12: From fitness haven to panic point — the city’s green lung, Jubilee Park, has undergone an appalling transformation in less than a month.

The once favourite haunt of morning-walkers and joggers now wears a deserted look, with few daring to venture out in the wake of a string of murders and assaults on doctors and businessmen. Not just the park, the Sonari-Kadma Link Road and clubs have become poor draws, too.

“The city isn’t safe anymore. A retired doctor was assaulted on Sonari-Kadma road last month while he was taking a morning walk, let alone incidents that happen after dark,” said Aloke Choudhary, a former functionary of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries, who cherished his routine exercises at Jubilee Park. “I have stopped visiting the park. So have many of my neighbours. The city is unpredictable. Who would want to risk his life? I work out at home these days,” he added.

A rough estimate shows that only half of the 500 regular morning-walkers visited the park in the past weeks. Though no incident has taken place on its premises, people are anticipating trouble.

Businessmen, doctors and other professionals are staying indoors and practising yoga instead.

“When security is lax and murderers roam free, I cannot risk going to the park, which is highly accessible,” said a businessman, not willing to be named. Advocate A.K. Mishra echoed him. “The police are helpless and criminals call the shots,” he said. “The city has, suddenly, become restless. Doctors who save other people’s lives are being targeted. This is a wake-up call for the administration, which is responsible for our safety,” said Bipul Chakraborty, director of Tata Steel Zoological Park.

“The incidents in the recent past have exposed the district administration’s inability to check crime. Jamshedpur will be doomed if professionals migrate to other places,” said Smita Parikh, director of Fortune Hotel Centre Point.

Former district governor of Rotary Club, Jamshedpur, Ronald D’Costa feels it is high time the government intervenes to check crime in the steel city. The deteriorating law and order has already taken a toll on the attendance in clubs. “Participation has plummeted over the past weeks,” confirmed an official of G Town Club in Bistupur, a hotbed of criminal activities of late. Several others also admitted low turnout.