Chandigarh, December 18

The police arrested a 54-year-old native of Meghalaya for looting valuables from innocent people by offering them sedative-laced prasad at the ISBT, Sector 17, here today. The suspect has been identified as Krishan Lal, a resident of Jammu. He was booked under Sections 328 and 379 of the IPC at the Sector 17 police station.

The police said the suspect had been operating at the ISBT, Delhi, before shifting to the ISBT, Sector 17. He fraudulently solemnised marriage three times. A stolen mobile phone, a black purse containing Rs1500 cash, an Aadhaar card, sedative pills and seven packets of biscuits were recovered from his possession, the police said.

A Maloya resident Sagar (32) had stated to the police that he worked as an auto driver. On the night of December 17, he was coming from the ISBT, Sector 43, to the ISBT, Sector 17, to drop a male passenger. When he reached parking near parade ground, Sector17, the passenger offered him biscuits. After eating biscuits, he started feeling dizzy and got unconscious. When Sagar woke up next morning, he found his black colour purse containing Rs3500, a copy of the RC and driving licence missing.

The suspect was arrested today from the outer gate of the ISBT, Sector 17, and stolen items were recovered from him. During interrogation, Krishan Lal disclosed that he targeted innocent people from UP, Bihar and Jammu by taking them into confidence on the name of religious places like Mata Vaishno Devi and offered them parsad. The suspect will be produced before the court on December 19 for seeking his police remand. — TNS