Ahmedabad: Mysterious ‘bushman’ snatching purses

AHMEDABAD: Once an isolated place where the alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three others had taken place in June 2004, Kotarpur Water Works – near Ahmedabad Airport has now become the favourite spot for a purse snatcher, who vanishes into nearby bushes every time after the crime.
According to police sources, in past 15 days two snatching incidents have taken place in the area, apparently commited by the same person. In most cases, the victims are people who stop by to watch aircraft taking off and landing at the airport.

In an incident reported on November 9 at Airport police station, Preeti Shah of Laxmikrupa Apartment of Naranpura had alleged that while she was watching planes take off and land at the airport from near the road turn of Kotarpur Water Works, a stranger aged about 20 years snatched her purse which contained gold jewellery, mobile phone and cash worth a total of Rs 37,500 and fled into the bushes of Kotarpur Water Works. The incident had taken place during the evening hours.

Now, Jinal Rahulsinh , of Mehsana, a relative of retired DSP K C Rajput, has lodged a complaint with Airport police station that while she and her family members were watching planes taking off and landing at the airport from the same Kotarpur Water Works turning, after parking their car on the roadside, a man dressed in black shirt and pants snatched her purse and vanished into the nearby bushes.

“According to the complaint the purse contained her cellphone, ATM cards and cheque books. We suspect the same person to be involved in this incident too,” said a senior police official of the newly set up Airport police station.