Targetting 'outsiders'.

REGARDLESS of how vigilant one might remain against the tricksters, the swind- lers always seem to be a step ahead of the rest, evolving their 'techniques' to grab their prey. One such 'technique' is to 'professionally' identify an outsider who may be new to the city.

The street criminals in Hyderabad's Qasimabad area appear to have taken a lead in this regard.

Recently, my brother was stripped of whatever valuables he had in his pocket at the time. Upon reaching Qasimabad area, two individuals approached him and engaged him in unnecessary conver-sation. One asked him the address of, say, 'Pakora' Chowk, while the other started frisking his pockets, leaving them empty. My brother could not utter a single word owing to the fear that the muggers might be armed and may harm him in case he resisted. The culprits took away Rs10,000 and my brother's ATM cards.

Just a few days earlier, two of my cousins happened to be in the same area for taking tuition classes and they suffered a similar fate at the hands of another set of muggers. I know of two...

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