66-year-old woman injured as youth snatches her earrings

The incident happened in the residential area of Sector 56 late on Saturday night. According to the police, the victim, Muktyari Devi, is a resident of Sector 56.

3 min readChandigarhJul 31, 2017 06:15 AM IST

66-year-old woman injured in Chandigarh, youth snatches earrings of old woman, Chandigarh news, Indian Express News

Mukhtyari Devi 66 years old showing her ears after bikers snatch her earrings in sector 56 Chandigarh on Sunday, July 30 2017. Express Photo

A 66-YEAR-OLD woman was left severely injured after a youngster attacked her and snatched away her gold earrings by ripping them off her ears. The incident happened in the residential area of Sector 56 late on Saturday night. According to the police, the victim, Muktyari Devi, is a resident of Sector 56. She was attacked about 10.45 pm when she was returning home after purchasing vegetables from a market near her home. She was walking on the roadside when a young boy came from behind and attacked her.

“It was not an isolated area from where I was going to my house. As I was about to reach near the turn of my residence, a youth came behind me, held my ears and then he ripped one earring from my left ear. I could not bear the immense pain and fell down on the road. The attacker did not have any mercy and ripped off my second earring and ran away,” Devi told Chandigarh Newsline.

“I suspect the attacker had an accomplice too. As I was crying in pain, another youngster approached me and asked me to stay calm. He assured me that he will catch the snatcher, but he never returned,” Devi added. After the victim raised the alarm, the area residents reached her and rushed her to a nearby civil hospital in Phase VI of Mohali. An onlooker also informed the police control room. Devi received six stitches on both her ears. She was discharged from the hospital on Sunday morning. She stays in Sector 56 with her husband Dhani Ram.

Inspector Rajdeep Singh, Station House Officer of Sector 39 police station, said, “We have registered a case against an unidentified person under sections 379 (punishment for theft), 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) of the Indian Penal Code.” “The CCTV cameras in the area are being scrutinised to identify and track the accused,” Inspector Rajdeep added.

“I used to tell my daughter that my earrings can only be ripped, as these have hard-to-open locks. The same thing happened last night. I have been wearing those earrings for the last 20 years and had never removed them. I also never planned to sell them or give them to any of my daughters, because I had an emotional attachment with those pieces of jewellery,” Devi said.

In the last six months, more than 70 incidents of snatchings have happened across Chandigarh. In most of the cases, pedestrian women were the prime targets of the accused. While the snatching incidents continue to rise, especially in densely populated southern sectors of the city, the police are clueless in most of the cases and have not yet been able to arrest the accused or recover the snatched property.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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