The rising crime-graph in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt is increasingly worrying the industrialists and residents here.

The government had set up a new police district here to check the increasing incidents of robberies, murder and thefts. Last week’s bank robbery, however, has again shaken the confidence of the residents here.

In order to check crime, the BBN Industries Association had donated six motorcycles, two four-wheelers, and also given financial help for stepping up the police infrastructure. The area has over four dozen banking institutions.

“The government has tried to strengthen the police force in this belt. But the failure of the police in checking the crimes, especially looting incidents on gun point, shows that the area has become a soft target for criminals,” rues Devraj Chaudhary of BJP’s Yuva Morcha .

Added Rajender Guleria, president of BBN industries Association, “The police should make efforts to restore confidence amongst the residents and industrialists by solving all cases of crime here.”

He said that industrialists are now wary of allowing their employees to carry cash from the factory premises to various financial institutions.

Expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation, chairman of Nalagarh Panchyat Parishad Balbir Thakur said that such incidents may discourage investors from coming here.

Meanwhile, the government has deployed two additional battalions in the area . An award of Rs. 10,000 has been announced for persons who provide any information concerning the UCO bank robbery, said SP Baddi Sumedha Diwedi.