-- Samir Umarye *May 23, 2012*
BICHOLIM: Desperate times call for desperate measures and residents of Nanora-Bicholim have decided to take law into their own hands in a novel manner. With burglaries and robberies on the rise in the village, concerned residents have formed youth teams for night patrol duties in the village. The spate of thefts began some two months ago when burglars broke into the Sateri temple in the village. "There was also an attempt made at the Shantadurga temple. Soon, two houses in the village were burgled when family members were asleep in the house," said Amit Falari of Nanora. "Barely few days after the theft in the temple, two houses belonging to Ashok Narvekar and Vinod Azgaonkar were also burgled. There are several such burglaries reported in the village," he added. Residents from Pistewada, Warchawada, Bhatwad, Usap and Khanolkarwada in Nanora spend anxious moments at night amid constant fear of being targeted by burglars or robbers. Claims by a woman from the village to have seen the culprits have added fuel to the fire. "There is a rumour that a woman from the village has seen masked culprits move in groups. It is surprising that when police patrols one side, culprits strike at some other place and they are always one step ahead of the police," remarked another resident. Unhappy with the performance of law enforcement agencies, youth in the village have decided to undertake night patrol duties in the village. Armed with sticks and torchlights, the youth have formed different teams and tour the village at night. "We have formed groups to patrol the village and we confront any suspicious person found in the village at night," explained newly elected panch, Bablo Gaonkar. Justice, if necessary, is quick and effective, with the youth teams trashing those persons found moving suspiciously in the village. While the exercise has deterred "suspicious" persons in the village at night, the experiment has backfired on a few occasions. "While the youth are doing a good job in protecting our village, there have been instances when some innocent people have been thrashed at night. Few nights ago, two persons who happened to enter the village at night were beaten up by a youth on night patrol," admitted a resident on condition of anonymity. When contacted, Bicholim police confirmed about the thefts in Nanora and informed that they have stepped up patrolling in the village. But residents are not convinced by these assurances and, instead, prefer to rely on their youth brigade to ensure security in the village. http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=5255&boxid=161751343&uid=&dat=5/23/2012