Chandigarh, Aug. 1 -- From local gangs running amok to students attacking each other over rivalries, Chandigarh has seen a sharp rise in rioting cases, recording 32 cases in just six months as against 38 during the whole year in 2024. If the trend continues, 2025 could end with more than 60 cases, nearly tripling 2023's figure of 23. At eight, the maximum cases were witnessed in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Sector-11 police station, which covers areas such as Khuda Alisher and Sector 25. As per the police, these cases are a result of group violence, with already established gang members recruiting youngsters living in their neighbourhood. But what starts with the promise of 'safety in numbers' ends fatally for these youngsters as was seen in the case of a Dadumajra youth, who was brutally beaten to death with rods, sharp-edged weapons and stones by six youths. And it's not just school dropouts or unemployed youths who are caught in these fights, schoolchildren too have found themselves in the thick of violent crimes. Case in point: Two Class-12 students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, were stabbed after a clash over a volleyball game in May this year. At the campus level, the clashes are a result of political rivalry - SD College, Sector 32, has seen two such incidents in a week. At Panjab University's south campus in Sector 25, a second-year student was stabbed to death after an altercation with some outsiders who had entered the campus during a concert in March this year. In some relief, however, the attempt-to-murder cases have seen a decline. These cases dropped sharply from 59 in 2024 to just 17 in the first half of 2025. The spike in 2024, up from 23 cases in 2023, was largely due to Chandigarh Police's strategy wherein it started invoking stringent sections such as "attempt-to-murder" even in severe hurt cases to curb brutality. The number of FIRs under the category of hurt stood at 57 in 2023 and 66 in 2024. Till the end of June, the city has reported 41 cases of hurt. Snatching continues to be a major concern in the city, with 47 FIRs registered in the first half of 2025, compared to 66 in the whole of 2024. In 2023, 150 snatching cases were registered, the highest among all crimes in that year. Areas under the Sector 34 police station reported the maximum, 10, snatching cases. This is the third consecutive year that this area has emerged as the snatching hotspot in the city. According to police officials, several factors contribute to the heightened vulnerability of this area. Its proximity to the Faidan barrier-a major entry and exit point-allows offenders to easily flee into neighbouring Mohali after committing crimes. Additionally, several sectors under its jurisdiction have isolated stretches and poorly lit areas, making them ideal targets for snatchers to strike and escape undetected. Areas under the jurisdiction of Sector 31 police station have reported the maximum street crimes in 2025 so far with five attempt-to-murder cases, four of hurt, seven of rioting and five of snatching. This alone accounted for nearly 45% of all street crime cases reported till June this year. Sector 31 police station includes areas such as Hallomajra, Sector 47, and Ramdarbar-localities that have remained crime-prone with recurring incidents of riots, stabbings, and even murders. Police officials acknowledge that the dense population of migrants, narrow lanes, and a history of turf conflicts in these pockets contribute to the persistent violence. IT Park PS registered the lowest number of FIRs - only 2 (both under hurt), pointing to a relatively safer zone. A senior police official said, "We are dealing with the rise in trend in rioting and snatching with intensified patrolling. We also conduct regular flag marches in vulnerable colonies and also round up bad characters under preventive detention from time to time."...