Incidents of infighting, prohibition and petty offences keep occurring at Zuarinagar slums where many of the young dwellers are either jobless or a few are working at Zuari industries. The youth from Zuarinagar don’t want to work as labourers on construction sites and this is why the slums once have become a recruitment ground for criminals.
According to police records, the area is also listed in one of the hypersensitive booths in state only because the slum was a shelter for many criminals who were involved in crimes likes theft and extortion. Such criminals were an inspiration to other youth who would then follow suit. “There was a time when police used to first search for culprits charged with theft or assault cases in Zuarinagar. But things seem to have improved in the last few years,” said a police official at Verna police station.
Names like Murgesh Swami, Anna Dhuri, Vazeer Khan and Manjunath Pujari still pose a threat to people. However, these men have now reportedly left the crime world. Some have started their own business, while some have joined private companies to earn a respectful livelihood. “I left all criminal activity only to live a normal life but I feel pained when I see young kids getting involved in crimes as they have no employment opportunities,” said one among the above who wished not to be identified.
Although police make tall claims that the criminal activity and presence of criminals at this slum has reduced extensively in the last few years, they don’t deny the fact that more and more youth are falling victim to the menace. “We have to do something for these youth or else they would again be known for the wrong reasons like in the past. Also in terms of pastime, children have got no facilities. That would be one reason behind more youth falling victim to crime and getting involved in criminal activity,” said Ayub Khan, a resident of Zuarinagar.
The police department acknowledges the fact that Zuarinagar gets the maximum number of complaints of fights or assault. Many of the complaints get settled before the issue can reach the police. Hence the department is in the process of constructing a new police station for the area in a bid to lower the rate of crime.
