 Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tamil Nadu |
|
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts: Retail Plus | Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary |
Tamil Nadu
Women returning home between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. were targeted, writes S. Vijay Kumar It was a challenging task for personnel of the Madhavaram and Ambattur police districts, under the Chennai Suburban Commissionerate, as two motorcycle-borne youths committed a series of chain-snatchings over the last six months. Their modus operandi was to target women walking alone or with children on less inhabited roads. While one of the suspects would wait with the motorcycle, the other would snatch the chain. They would then speed through narrow lanes and disappear in no time. With helmets and fake number plates, the accused left little clues for investigators. However, when the duo snatched the chain of a woman at Mathur on Monday and tried to escape, some passers-by and police personnel on patrol duty nabbed them. Police identified the accused as M. Thiagu alias Bal Thiagu (25) of Vyasarpadi and his younger brother M. Vinod alias Vincent (21) of Kodikadai. During interrogation, the police found that the brothers took to chain-snatching to make easy money. “They killed their father Manoharan over a property dispute a few years ago. The school dropouts started committing crimes for a living. After purchasing a motorcycle in the name of a relative, Thiagu and Vincent confined to snatching gold chains,” R. Ruben, Inspector of Crimes said. The accused told police that they would target women between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. as many would be returning home with children after school. Also, being a non-rush hour, there would not be much of police presence on the roads. “We consider chain-snatching a serious offence. It not only threatens safety of the common man on the road but also questions efficiency of the police. A special team formed to investigate repeated chain-snatching offences apprehended the suspects who snatched at least 17 chains in the recent weeks. A total of 52 sovereigns of gold ornaments and a motorcycle used to commit the crimes were recovered from them,” Chennai Suburban Commissioner of Police S.R. Jangid said. Pamphlets highlighting basic safety aspects were distributed to residents. Besides intensifying vehicle-checks and enhancing police beats in remote residential areas, motorcycle patrol teams were deployed strategically to reach any scene of crime within minutes. “Investigation in every complaint of chain-snatching is monitored by senior police officials and a review of the preventive action taken is discussed at crime meetings. Several measures have been taken to curb the menace,” Mr. Jangid said. Though adequate police presence was maintained in vulnerable areas in the police districts of St. Thomas Mount, Ambattur and Madhavaram, public should volunteer and take custody of any person indulging in a cognizable offence. “The law provides for that…any person who is witness to a crime being committed by an accused can effect arrest and inform the local police,” Mr. Jangid said.
Printer friendly
page
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | Publications | eBooks | Images | Ergo | Home |
Copyright © 2009, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|