City industrialist has a narrow escape near Ring Road; Police increase patrolling

Mysore/Mysuru: If you are travelling on the Outer Ring Road and its surrounding areas, especially at night, be alert, as criminals might attempt to rob you by throwing stones at your vehicle.

The Police issued this warning after stones were thrown at the vehicle of an industrialist in Mysuru late on Thursday night. According to the Police, criminals have developed a tactic of throwing stones to damage vehicles, aiming to force drivers to stop and inspect their vehicles, at which point the criminals attack. The industrialist has been identified as Babu, a resident of Hebbal who was travelling on the Ring Road in his Thar vehicle along with his friend Harish Nayak.

He was on Nanjangud Road at around 11.30 pm on last Thursday and came onto the Ring Road by turning left.

As Babu reached Lingambudhipalya (Dattagalli Third Stage) after the H.D. Kote Junction, near the Maramma Temple, he noticed three to four men celebrating an event on the left side of the road. They had lit some candles and stood surrounding the light. 

While Babu’s attention was focused on the celebrations in the middle of the night, stones were suddenly hurled from the trees on the road median. Several stones hit the windshield and the bonnet of his vehicle, causing the glass to crack. One large stone even got stuck in the glass due to the force.

Realising he was in trouble and it was a clear attempt to rob him by an organised gang, Babu hit the accelerator and sped away without stopping. The men celebrating by the roadside rushed onto the road, attempting to surround his vehicle in case he stopped. However, as Babu sped away, the gangsters failed to catch up.

Babu usually carries a licensed gun for self-defence. However, due to the ongoing Lok Sabha Election Model Code of Conduct, he had to surrender the weapon at the jurisdictional Police Station. Deeply disturbed by the incident, Babu met with City Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth on Friday and narrated the incident.

Acting on the complaint, the Police have intensified their patrolling on the Ring Road. To catch the culprits behind the incident, CCTV cameras at Lingambudhipalya, H.D. Kote Road, Dattagalli and the Ring Road are being screened for clues.