BENGALURU: MakarA Sankranti turned out to be an opportunity for chain-snatchers in the city, who took advantage of the fact that many women wore jewellery for the festival.
Two bike-borne men struck in Peenya and Bagalgunte to target women outside their homes to snatch gold chains.
Meanwhile, three other similar incidents were reported on Sunday in Hesaraghatta, Kamakshipalya and Byadarahalli.
Following a series of chain-snatching incidents, the city police commissioner has ordered to intensify patrolling across Bengaluru to prevent chain-snatching incidents.
In the first incident, the miscreants targeted the wife of a DySP at HMT Layout in Peenya.
The victim has been identified as Gangamma, (55), wife of Kenchegowda, DySP in DG headquarters.
A senior police officer said that around 6.30am, Gangamma was cleaning the portico of her house. While she was going back into the house, a man tried to snatch her gold chain. She, however tried to fight him by holding his hand but he dragged her for some distance. Her husband Kenchegowda, who heard her shouting, came out to see what happened. The miscreant managed to flee on a bike after which Kenchegowda chased him but couldn’t get hold of the miscreant. Peenya police were immediately alerted about the incident.
“One of the miscreants was wearing a cap and did not leave even after Gangamma’s screamed. He also dragged her for a few metres. The entire incident has been recorded on a CCTV camera installed in front of her house,” Peenya police said.
In the second incident, Soudhamini, (45), a resident of Dasarahalli, was targeted by two men, when she was drawing rangoli in front of her house. Around 6.45am, a miscreant snatched her gold chain and fled the scene. He approached her on the pretext of asking an address and pushed her back after snatching the gold chain. Bagalgunte police were alerted about the incident.
“The bike-borne miscreants came on a black Pulsar motorcycle and committed the crime in a duration of 15 minutes. The professional gang, either Irani or Bawariya, were behind the crime and police have gathered information after obtaining CCTV footage.
As soon as the incidents were reported, City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar instructed all police stations to beef up security in the mornings and evenings to nab the chain-snatchers. He also directed the additional commissioner of police and other senior officers to monitor the security across the city following the festival, the officer added.