Caught in the Web of Theft: Bangalore’s Silkboard Saga

Silkboard is well-known for its bustling bus routes and the constant rush. However, if you were to ask me what makes Silkboard notorious, I’d point to the prevalence of theft.

This change in perspective stems from an incident that occurred in April.

Upon my arrival in Bangalore, the most common advice I received was to guard my mobile and wallet carefully, as losing them would mean there’s no recourse. I used to shrug off this caution, confident in my vigilance. But this attitude was shattered by the incident in April.

One typical morning, I woke up late, anxious about reaching the office on time. I managed to find a seat on the bus, but i heard a voice,“Brother, whoever took my phone, please return it.” I hurried over to him, and he confirmed his phone was stolen. At that moment, I was at a loss for words; it felt like a vivid nightmare had come to life. After disembarking, another individual, a Tamil man who also realised his phone was missing, joined us on our way to the police station.

The apathy of the bystanders was the most disheartening part; no one seemed to care, and the man was on the verge of tears. It’s disconcerting to see such indifference in Bangalore, a city that seems to be growing more self-centred by the day.

During our trip to the police station, the man from Hosur shared his bewilderment: he had travelled on an equally crowded bus that day without incident, yet it was in Bangalore where his phone was stolen. What’s going wrong here?

When we shared our ordeal with fellow commuters, they dismissed it as a common occurrence, unworthy of concern.

At the police station, the officers’ indifference was palpable. We filed a complaint, and upon registering it, we were shocked to see that four similar cases had already been logged that morning. As we were leaving, we encountered another young man rushing in to report a stolen phone. We questioned the officer about the persistent thefts and suggested installing CCTV cameras or stationing a police officer in the area. His response was a nonchalant smile, offering no words.

I’m left wondering about the state of Bangalore, the IT capital of India has come to this sort of underaged stage. As I left the police station, I was certain those who had lost their phones would not find assistance from the police, whose demeanour suggested a possible acquaintance with the thieves.

Thus, encountering a mix of sadness and confusion has become a common sight for the residents of Silkboard.