India’s longest rail bridge built in MP, train operations begin on 34-km track
Also Read
View All
Katni-Panna Highway Robbery: A surge in highway robberies has been reported on the highway passing through the district. After a two-month lull, a robbery gang has become active again. On Panna Road, a robbery at gunpoint was committed under the pretext of asking for a lift.
The terror of highway robbers has once again reared its head in Katni district, Madhya Pradesh. The latest incident occurred near Amradar village, under the jurisdiction of the Kuthor police station, when three unidentified criminals robbed a contractor from Bhopal at knifepoint. The criminals stopped the contractor, who was travelling in his car, under the pretext of asking for a lift. This incident comes approximately two months after a similar crime in the area, raising serious questions about police vigilance and security arrangements.
The victim, a contractor residing in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal, currently works in Indrapuri Colony, Panna district. On the night of 31 August, at approximately 11:30 pm, he was travelling from Katni to Panna in his car. He stopped his car by the roadside near Amradar to relieve himself. Three unidentified criminals approached him and asked for a lift. When the contractor refused, they threatened him with a knife and robbed him of his mobile phone, a gold chain, two gold rings, and ₹8,000 in cash from his wallet before fleeing the scene.
The robbed contractor filed a complaint at the Kuthor police station. The police have registered a case under Section 309 (4) BNS against three unidentified criminals and have launched a search for the culprits.
It is noteworthy that similar robberies occurred frequently on national highways in Katni district approximately two months ago. Following instructions from Superintendent of Police Abhinay Vishwakarma, Katni police conducted widespread raids on Pardhi settlements. Several criminals were identified and apprehended, and some were jailed. While this police action temporarily curbed the gang's activities, the criminals have now become active again.
Surprisingly, police raided Pardhi settlements just two days before this latest incident. This new robbery on the Amradar highway, just two days after the raid, exposes the shortcomings in police vigilance and highway security measures.
The crucial question is why the police are failing to maintain the necessary level of highway surveillance. Why are these robberies continuing despite raids and crackdowns? Travellers and locals are questioning the effectiveness of police presence and patrolling given the frequency of such incidents on the highway.
This incident is not merely a criminal act but presents a significant challenge to the Katni district police administration. If highway security is not improved promptly, the terror of the robber gang could spread rapidly, endangering the lives and property of ordinary travellers.