Police identified around 400 ‘blade batch’ criminals, who were resorting to crimes like snatching and robberies by threatening their victims with blades.
Investigating officers identified the offenders under eight police station limits. The accused are addicted to ganja and drugs, police said, adding that they were planning to extern the offenders.
“The modus operandi of the accused is to attack people at isolated places with blades and rob them of their gold ornaments, cash and mobile phones,” said Task Force Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) K.V. Srinivas Rao.
Following the directions of Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata, the Task Force police identified over 400 blade batch criminals involved in several offences. They were giving counselling to the accused and their family members and were appealing them to give up criminal activities and turn a new leaf.
Police identified 80 blade batch criminals under Krishnalanka police station limits, 50 under Machavaram, and 40 each in Nunna, Penamaluru, One Town, Satyanarayanapuram and other stations.
The Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), inspectors concerned, along with the task force police, were giving counselling to the criminals, said Mr. Kanthi Rana Tata.
“Around 50 criminals have rowdy, history and suspect sheets under various police stations. If they mend their ways, we will provide training through AP Skill Development Corporation in some trade and provide them a means of earning a livelihood,” the task force officials said.
However, instructions have been given to the police to step up vigil at all vulnerable places, near bus stands and railway stations and on the tracks on Krishna-Guntur border to crack down on the blade batch offenders, the Police Commissioner said.