Pavement dweller robbed at razor’s edge

Chennai

Kothandan, a native of Andhra Pradesh has been living and working in the area for decades doing odd jobs. With no family to support him, and practically confined to the platform due to age- related ailments he has been living on the contributions given by well-wishers. All he owned was just one bag of worldly possessions, donated by people in passing. On Friday night, around 1 am, a man and a woman came to the locality and tried to snatch the bag from Kothandan. When he resisted, they slashed his hands with a razor, snatched the bag and fled in the auto in which they had come.

The incident happened right outside the city police commissioner’s office and Kothandan  was left on the pavement with injuries to his hand. Unable to walk to a police station, he has not lodged any complaint.

According to locals, a gang has been active on the streets of Chennai, targeting the possessions of platform dwellers and beggars. Since police do not allow such destitutes inside police stations, no formal complaints have been lodged, allowing the gang a free run of the city, locals alleged.

According to long time residents of the area, the midnight snatchers have been on the prowl for a while now. “They roam the street from 12.30 am to 3 am and snatch the belongings of people living on the street. They mostly move in an auto. Police have not yet taken any action against the gang as most of such robberies go un reported. Poor Kothandan has been here from the time of Periyar,” Murugan, a resident said. Kothandan is a quiet man who fended for himself after his family died, others said.

When contacted police officials said they were unaware of the incident since no one filed a complaint.