Highwaymen have free run

JEYPORE: Highway robbers have spread panic in the area with rising incidence of crime between Koraput and Borrigumma National Highway. Commuters are being waylaid and looted. The police, however, are yet to arrest the gang members.  In the last three months, 15 masked miscreants reportedly roughed up passengers on the route and looted their belongings after chasing them down to the ghat road. The motorcycle-borne miscreants carried weapons.    Recently, when two victims reported a loot near Koraput ghat to Jeypore town police station at 3 am, the police allegedly refused help stating that the area does not fall under their jurisdiction.With the area infested with the Maoists, the district police have not pressed for highway patrolling during evening hours and at night giving the looters a free run here.  According to reports, the highway has witnessed about 15 robbery incidents with over ` 20 lakh being looted from passengers. The transporters, cabbies and citizen committees of Koraput and Jeypore have demanded highway patrolling to check the menace.Jeypore Sadar police station IIC S Padhee said the police are taking steps with the available resources.