The city police opened fire on a notorious serial chain-snatcher and shot at his leg when he allegedly resisted arrest and attacked them on Monday morning.
The accused, Achyut Kumar, 31, is a resident of Kaniminike, Kumbalagodu. He is suspected of being involved in over 70 chain-snatching cases in Bengaluru and Tumakuru over the last few years. “This is the first time he has been arrested,” said the police.
Chandra Kumar, a head constable of Jnanabharathi police, was on a night round on Sunday when he found the movement of a biker suspicious. He chased the biker and came close to nabbing him. However, the biker attacked him with a knife.
Chandra Kumar sought reinforcements. The team chased the biker and caught him. He was identified as Achyut Kumar.
Later in the night, when the police escorted him to his house to conduct the panchanama and recover stolen chains, he allegedly asked them to let him go to the bathroom. He used the opportunity to flee from custody. This happened around 2.30 a.m.
“We combed the entire area for two hours. Suddenly, he attacked the police with stones. After we fired a few rounds in the air and asked him to surrender, he attacked Veerabhadraiah, following which Praveen Yeligar shot at his leg. He was then overpowered and arrested again,” a formal statement by the city police said.
Police have announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for Chandra Kumar, the constable who caught the chain-snatcher.
