Hit-and-run trick: Two arrested for extortion

Mysuru: Criminals are constantly innovating. In a new strategy to rob people, two miscreants Zameer and Jameel would confront a moving car and then accuse the driver of hit and run. Then they would create a scene in public and as the driver is scared and confused, they would make a quick deal and a quick buck — a truly new way of extortion. But now these two miscreants have been arrested.

On Oct. 27, D. Srinivas the owner of ‘Kafe Biriyani’ outlets was out on an errand near the Five Lights Circle at around 10.15 am. He parked his car, a Wagon R, near the circle and was switching off the engine when he heard a light tap on the glass of his left side door.  

A thin man told Srinivas that he had hit a person a minute earlier while he was turning his car without turning on the indicator.  He also informed that the person he had hit was injured.

Then suddenly, a hefty person appeared, parked his bike in front of Srinivas’ car and got into the passenger seat shouting and showing his injuries while accusing Srinivas of hit-and-run.

Srinivas, perplexed with this turn of events, tried to pacify the duo. But they were in no mood to listen and started raising their voice, demanding medical treatment. He agreed to provide them treatment and told them that he would take them to the nearby Al-Ansar Hospital.

The duo refused and asked him to drive to another hospital. Then they took him to a slightly deserted road near Good Shepherd Convent. As they drove, the miscreants snatched Srinivas’ mobile phone. They continued to drive when the lean one, told Srinivas that the other fellow was not a good person and to just give Rs.10,000 and get rid of him.

Srinivas told him that he did not have so much cash and if they took him to an ATM, he would withdraw it and give it to them, but asked them to return the mobile phone. As soon as he entered the ATM kiosk, Srinivas made a call.

On seeing him talking on the mobile, the duo entered the ATM to enquire who he was talking to. Srinivas replied that one of his friends who lived in the area is coming with the cash. Realising that they could get into trouble, they then told Srinivas they could manage with just Rs. 5000 for their medical treatment.

Srinivas, sensing their desperation and realising that it was a con job, immediately threatened them saying if they waited around, he would make sure he raises an alarm and people would come and thrash them. The duo fled.

Srinivas got back home but surprisingly did not file a police complaint. Instead, he sent information about the incident with description to his friends. He too kept a look out for the two miscreants.

In a rare coincidence, yesterday when Srinivas was in Kuvempunagar sitting at the cash counter of his outlet on Vishvamanava Double Road, noticed commotion nearby.

When he looked harder he spotted the duo. Srinivas rushed to the spot. There he realised that the duo was pulling the same trick on one Vishwanath Pradhan, a resident of Kuvempunagar.

The duo had confronted Vishwanath who had parked his car near the Vijaya Bank Circle. Just like they had done with Srinivas, the duo had pulled up to Vishwanath and accused him of hit and run and was demanding money.

Srinivas now bold enough with people around him caught hold of one of the miscreants and started shouting as the other tried to escape. A Garuda Patrol, which was nearby gave chase and caught him near the Library on Double Road. The public by then had thrashed the other guy. Both of them were handed over to the Kuvempunagar Police.

An FIR was lodged by the Kuvempunagar Police Inspector Vijaykumar. As the word spread on the WhatsApp, another friend of Srinivas, Gopikrishna shared his experience about how the same duo had tried to fool him staging the same drama and demanded Rs. 8,000 from him about ten days ago near the Circle at Yadavagiri close to Joy Ice Cream factory. One more person Umesh of Kuvempunagar had also a similar experience where he was forced to part with Rs. 2,500 after they had demanded Rs. 3,500.

During the course of the interrogation, it came to light that Zameer and Jameel had duped many victims.

This post was published on November 8, 2017 6:59 pm