Snatchers target two women, flee with purse & gold chain

The victim raised an alarm and passers-by started chasing the suspect. Sources said the suspect entered an abandoned house, which was soon surrounded by the passers-by, including one Raghunath, a UT education department employee. (Representational Image)

TWO WOMEN fell prey to snatchers in separate incidents at Sector 22 and at the dividing road of Sector 44/45 on Tuesday night. The snatcher, involved in the Sector 22 incident, was caught by locals and police. The accused has been identified as Paramjit Kumar of Partapgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Himani (24), residing in a PG accommodation at Sector 22, was going to the market when a pedestrian snatched her purse around 8.45 pm. The purse contained Rs 300 and some documents. The victim raised an alarm and passers-by started chasing the suspect. Sources said the suspect entered an abandoned house, which was soon surrounded by the passers-by, including one Raghunath, a UT education department employee.

Raghunath, who was strolling in the locality, dialled the police control room (PCR) and a police party from Sector 17 police station arrived. Police said the accused Paramjit, hiding in the house, was dragged out. Earlier, the accused attempted to escape but failed. Inspector Maninder Singh, SHO of PS 17, said, "The snatched purse of the victim was recovered on the spot. Accused Paramjit was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Two teams of the crime branch and PS 19 also questioned the snatcher, who was not found to be involved in any other case of snatching."

Himani is a native of Ambala district and currently working with an IT company at IT Park, Manimajra. A case has been registered at Sector 17 police station. In the other incident, Sandeep Kaur, a resident of Kharar, was travelling by autorickshaw when two bike-borne youths appeared and the pillion rider snatched Kaur’s gold chain near the dividing road of Sector 44/45 around 9 pm. Kaur and other passengers in the auto failed to note down the auto number. Inspector Ajay Kumar, SHO of PS 34, said, "The victim had gone to her house after making a call to a PCR and we called her back, took her complaint and filed an FIR." He added that efforts were on to trace the accused. A case was registered at Sector 34 PS. Chandigarh has witnessed over 190 incidents of snatching in the last 10 months.