Pune: Residents of the Baner-Pashan area have renewed their call for increased police patrolling on Baner hill , especially during morning and evening hours, following a violent incident on Monday evening. Two college students were attacked and robbed by four armed men around 7.30pm on the popular hillside, which serves as a recreational space for locals seeking respite from traffic and expensive commercial areas.
In the aftermath, worried citizens highlighted that the hill's accessibility makes it attractive not only to fitness enthusiasts and nature lovers but also to miscreants, who use the area for alcohol consumption, raising safety concerns. Chanam Singh, a Baner Pashan Link Road resident, said, "Baner hill is our sanctuary — a rare green oasis in the urban jungle. It's where we escape the city's chaos for a peaceful evening stroll.
But recent incidents have shattered that tranquility. We need proactive policing, including surprise patrols, to deter miscreants and restore our sense of security in this vital community space." Rajendra Chutar, a senior citizen, said that the deteriorating law and order situation on the hill is alarming.
"Despite raising this issue repeatedly, including at mohalla committee meetings, we've seen no concrete action. Predictable policing schedules are ineffective — criminals simply work around them. With a history of chain-snatching and harassment, we must act now to prevent these hills from becoming no-go zones for law-abiding citizens,".
