Arrested for snatching gold bangles from elderly woman

Police nab the accused within 30 minutes of crime

Mysuru: If the Police are always blamed for not detecting a crime promptly and for adopting delaying tactics, here is a case where the Police nabbed a criminal who committed a daring robbery in broad daylight yesterday in just 30 minutes. Interestingly, the accused is a fruit seller, who sold cut fruits in front of the City Law Courts Complex. 

The crime was reported from the upscale area of Chamaraja Mohalla. The accused had snatched seven gold bangles of an elderly lady while she was brushing her teeth yesterday morning. The criminal was arrested by Lakshmipuram Police and seven gold bangles weighing about 120 grams have been recovered from the accused.

While the accused is 28-year-old Rehman Shariff, a resident of Aleemnagar in Bannimantap, the victim is 84-year-old R. Nagarathna, a resident of House No. 1079 on Narasaraja Road near Manuvana Park in Chamaraja Mohalla. Nagarathna was staying in the house along with her daughter Prabhavathi and son-in-law Mohankumar.

Rehman Shariff, who used to sell cut fruits in front of City Law Courts Complex, had taken a shed inside the house of Nagarathna on rent where he used to keep the pushcart and fruits in the evening after closing business. 

 Yesterday morning, Nagarathna’s daughter Prabhavathi had gone on her regular walk at Manuvana Park opposite the house. Her husband Mohankumar, who had recently undergone an eye surgery, was walking in the yard of the house. 

Nagarathna, who got up at about 7.30 am, was brushing her teeth when Rehman barged into the house through the shed. He caught hold of the elderly lady and stuffed a piece of cloth inside her mouth preventing her screams. 

He threatened her and removed all the seven gold bangles she was wearing. A helpless Nagarathna did not try to wriggle out of his hold as she was aged and shocked. Taking advantage of the elderly lady, Rehman Sharief snatched the bangles and locked the bathroom door from outside before fleeing through the shed.

Shell-shocked over the incident, Nagarathna somehow managed to push open the bathroom door and saw her daughter Prabhavathi entering the house. Regaining her composure, Nagarathna narrated the incident to her daughter who informed the Lakshmipuram Police and lodged a complaint.

The Police registered a case and identified the accused through CCTV footages and immediately swung into action. While combing the area, the Police found Rehman hiding behind a petty shop at Ballal Circle and arrested him. They recovered the bangles worth about Rs. 4 lakh. 

During interrogation, the accused is said to have told the Police that he committed the crime to clear his debts. Rehman was produced before a Magistrate in the evening and was remanded to judicial custody. 

Lakshmipuram Inspector S. Gangadhar, ASI Gowrishankar and staff Umesh, Sudeep, Siddappaji, Puttaswamy and others took part in the operation.