The rate at which crime is on the rise in the city is really alarming. Absence of street lights has also added to the crime numbers in our beautiful lake city. So basically, on the roll call it says “Street lights Absent, Sir…Crime Present, Sir”.

Mallah talai is one such area of Udaipur city where absence of street lights is inviting crimes on regular basis. For the last five days, a colony near Ratakhet area is under darkness and is being constantly vandalised. Thefts are a regular affair in the colony. Even the street dogs were poisoned for they were ‘colony guards’.

Resident Dinesh Paliwal reported that since the streets do not have lights, hooligans are taking advantage of darkness and robbing people off their belonging. Taking advantage of dark lanes, house locks are being broken and committing thefts has become an easy game. A few days back, washing machine was stolen from a house in Harsh colony. When these robbers entered the lane 4 nights back on Thursday, the street dogs started barking and followed them. The dogs were poisoned and killed. One dog was spotted by the dwellers in a serious condition the next morning. Animal-aid was informed immediately who took the ‘guard’ away for treatment. On Friday the residents went to meet the Parshad of the area to report the incidents but in vain. The street was lightened up only to return to the same dark situation in an hour’s time.

All colonies need police patrol even when the street lights are on. Robberies, thefts, chain snatching, eve-teasing, rash driving are common incidents everywhere. Some areas face such incidents very often. The trouble is that police need to be alert and also have enough power to take these hoodlums to task on the spot. Crime must stop.