CHENNAI: An 18-year-old youth and a minor boy riding a bike were caught by the public and handed over to the police in Medavakkam after the duo allegedly knocked down a 60-year-old autorickshaw driver in an attempt to snatch his mobile phone.
The pedestrian later succumbed to his injuries at Chromepet government hospital.
Police said the deceased, Kannan of Vijaya Nagar, had come for a morning walk on Medavakkam flyover when the bike-borne duo knocked him down. Kannan was thrown onto the road and he sustained head injuries in the impact. The suspects, meanwhile, stole his mobile phone and tried to flee, but the passers-by caught them and thrashed them before handing them over to Selaiyur police.
“The suspects, Purushoth (18) of Kamarajapuram and a minor from Hasthinapuram stole a bike from Pazhavanthangal and were looking for possible targets to snatch cell phones from. While crossing Kamarajapuram, they snatched a cell phone from a food delivery agent. Fleeing from this spot, they reached Medavakkam flyover where Kannan was on his morning walk,” police said.
Preliminary inquiries revealed the duo used to steal two-wheelers and use them to snatch phones from pedestrians. After a few snatching offences, they used to dispose of the two-wheelers. “They did all this to make money to buy ganja. They have been booked on the charges of theft and causing death due to negligence. Purushoth was remanded in judicial custody, while the juvenile was sent to a correctional facility,” they added.