Calamity Strikes

An unusually cloudy and pleasant morning, marred by a bizarre case of chain-snatching. The victim, an elderly lady (in pic) was on her way to the Garden and had taken the deserted stretch across Green Acres when two young men on a motorcycle struck her from behind. She lost her balance and fell on the sidewalk. By the time she recovered and got to her feet, the motorcycle had disappeared in the horizon. Only then did she realize that the 3-tola gold chain around her neck was missing.
The lady could not take down the number of the motorcycle. She had no description of the men who hit her. She had a cell-phone, but did not call the cops. She did not even try going to the cop station nearby, but chose to walk for 15 minutes to the Garden. All she succeeded in was attracting a sizeable crowd and loads of sympathy. When some of us offered to accompany her to the police station and lodge a complaint, she declined. She did not want to bother the cops as she had no faith in them.
Last year, around this time, there was a spate of similar chain snatching incidents in the vicinity (see post of April 28, 2011). An old and infirm Bengali lady had lost all the jewellery on her person, including gold bangles to motorcycle goons. Neelam Garg was also attacked near the same Green Acres. Shekhawat recounted how a lady, holding two kids on either side, was hit from behind and before she could gather her wits, was relieved of her gold chain and purse. Another man narrated how his wife was robbed of a 5-tola chain on the same street. The stories kept mounting…
Meanwhile, here’s wishing Ram Shankar Shukla (left) many happy returns of the day as he steps into his 77th year. We understand he is at present travelling; but our good wishes stay with him, wherever he is, at all times.
Harish Wadhwa:
* A sad incident. My sympathies go out to the woman who was robbed. It shows how desperate the goons are to amass quick money. It is also a warning to all to shun the yellow metal, if they wanna be safe. Try imitation jewellery instead. You and the jewellery would look no different.
* Happy Birthday, Shukla-ji. May you have many more wonderful and healthy years ahead!
Bhaswati Bose:
Wearing imitation jewellery is not safe either, Harish-bhai. The frustrated chain snatchers will punish you the next day with a tight slap, as one young lady in Lokhandwala found out!