A woman attacked in broad daylight by chain snatchers on Sundarpada-Jatni road on the outskirts of Odisha’s capital city on Monday succumbed to her injuries, airfield police said on Thursday.

The victim, identified as U Bishnu Patro, was pillion riding on a bike with her husband when the motorcycle-borne miscreants tried to snatch her necklace. During the struggle, the victim fell and sustained a serious head injury, which later proved fatal.

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The miscreants have been identified as CCTV cameras installed near the crime spot captured them. A case of murder has been registered, and a special squad has been constituted to nab them at the earliest, police said.

Emboldened by slack policing and patrolling, criminals are virtually holding the residents of this bustling capital city at ransom. The broad daylight crime and the unfortunate death of an innocent woman have raised questions about the efficiency of the Bhubaneswar urban police.

The lawbreakers are having a field day as the khaki-clad men are unable to instil fear among them. This has resulted in a spree of lawlessness in Odisha’s capital city, said Kanhu Das, a resident of Vani Vihar locality.

Those living in houses located in deserted areas often become soft targets for criminals. Additional patrolling needs to be deployed at those spots. Police will have to intensify patrolling further to arrest criminals. The ground-level intelligence network will have to be strengthened. Besides, the police have to win the confidence of people by cultivating public relations. After all, the ordinary people, who toil daily to make a living, are the best source of information gathering, observed retired police officer Kumarmani Meher.