Chain snatchers nabbed after dramatic chase, shootout

Police sources said the accused, who were on a silver-coloured motorbike, had snatched a chain from a woman in Venkatala village near Yelahanka. ( Picture for representation only )

Two chain snatchers were nabbed by Bangalore city police after a dramatic chase and shootout on Tuesday morning near Yelahanka in north Bangalore. One of them sustained a bullet injury and a police officer was stabbed in the incident.

The accused, Raju alias Appi, and his associate Ravi, both aged around 28, are residents of Devanahalli. Joint Commissioner of Police for Law and Order (West) S Ravi said the accused were arrested in a joint effort by Yelahanka and Chikkajala police stations. Upon receiving information about a chain snatching incident at around 5.30 AM, police managed to locate the bike-borne culprits and tried to arrest them.

But when Raju attacked Yelahanka police inspector Rajiv, police opened fire in self-defence and shot Raju in the knee. Inspector Rajiv sustained injuries in his left hand. Police sources said the accused, who were on a silver-coloured motorbike, had snatched a chain from a woman in Venkatala village near Yelahanka.

A message was flashed on the police wireless, alerting Yelahanka inspector Rajiv and Chikkajala inspector Muralidhar. They located the accused near Bellalli cross and started chasing them. The miscreants then entered a eucalyptus grove near KNS College in RK Hegde Nagar at around 6 AM. The police inspectors disembarked from their vehicles and tried to nab them when Raju attacked them in a bid to escape.

Raju and police officer Rajiv were taken to Yelahanka Government Hospital with injuries. Raju was later shifted to Victoria Hospital for additional treatment. The Yelahanka police have registered a case of robbery about the chain snatching incident and Kothanur police have registered a case of attack on police.