KOCHI: The KSRTC bus stand here that was a landmark before private buses gained prominence has now become hunting ground for anti-social elements.The police officials said six pickpockets were nabbed and a woman arrested on charges of immoral trafficking from the location last month.Though the bus stand lost its importance after private buses were allowed to ferry passengers to other districts, the people still bank on the KSRTC to travel to areas where private bus services are few.The location of the bus stand makes it ideal for criminals to operate with ease. The nearby Ambedkar Stadium, railway lines and the numerous by-lanes make it convenient for clandestine operations.A senior police official said that to nab beggars and pickpockets, two uniformed police personnel apart from two police personnel in mufti have been put on duty.Despite the police dragnet and frequent KSRTC announcements alerting the passengers to be careful about possible pickpockets at the bus stand, many people fall prey to the operations of the criminal gangs.The gangs are usually active during night when passengers crowd to board buses.However, there are also allegations that the police are not effective in tackling the pickpockets.Though a police official said that those posted in mufti always look for suspected pickpockets, the criminals who are caught return to the bus stand after serving the jail term.
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