All areas in the city are facing blackouts for long hours in five or six spells with each spell ranging from one and half to almost two hours, causing fear in commuting in the dark.

Residents also said that police patrol has not increased during the blackout, which is why the mugging toll is increasing daily.

Most residents said that collapsible gates that usually shut around 10 pm are now shut at 8 pm for fear of dacoits.

"Power cuts are the best time for muggers to get into action. They wait in groups of five at dark spots of the alleys near Lab Aid diagnostic centre and at entrance to Central road," said Akhteruzzaman Ilias, a businessman.

"If anyone pass by alone, he or she falls prey to the muggers losing all valuables. That is not all, the muggers usually put tiger balm on the victim's eyes so that the victim cannot identify the criminals," Ilias added.

A new type of snatching has begun in the current situation, alleged another resident Salehin Mahmood.

"Muggers now arrive in posh cars with tinted glass or black cabs and attacks the victim plying on a rickshaw," he added.

"They seize items from behind and in a flash drive away," said Mahmood.

Prime spots for such incidents were reported from different roads in Dhanmondi, and the alleys of Banani and Mohakhali. Other famous muggers' haunts during load shedding hours are alleys in Mirpur and Old Dhaka, said many city dwellers.

It is very easy to conduct this crime in the dark as the muggers can catch their victims off guard and also get away without being recognised.

Residents and shopkeepers from Banani and Badda said that the mugging and stealing rate has increased in alleys, taking advantage of the darkness.

"Earlier we heard of only a case or two of mugging in a month, and now the average is at least four a day," said a resident of Banani.

Victims usually end up at a side shop to wash off the tiger balm or chilli powder from their eyes.

Areas where load shedding is worst hit include Malibagh, Mouchak, Rajarbagh, Maghbazar, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Farmgate, Siddiqbazar, Paribagh, Nakhalpara, Badda, Mirpur, and Kalabagan.

Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (Desa) control room sources said that they had been able to supply only two third of the demands in last two days.

Duty officer Afsana Afroze from Mirpur police station said they have a total of 11 teams patrolling daily, each team consisting of four to five officers.

Only six patrolling teams from Mohammadpur police station are on duty with four to five policemen in each group, said Sub-Inspector Emdad-Ul-Huq while Sub-Inspector Rokeya from Badda police station said there are patrolling officers in every alley of that area.

Authorities of the police stations said they did not receive any complaints of mugging in the past week that was why, apart from few instructions of increasing security no other steps were taken.