Mysuru: Lashkar Police have arrested a thief who had snatched the mobile phone of a student. The accused has been identified as Afsar Pasha (30), a resident of Ghousianagar. Another accused Aisaq is absconding.

According to the Police, Naveen, a resident of Madagalli at Bannur Hobli and a student of Kuvempunagar Government First Grade College was speaking on his cell phone at Sub-Urban Bus Stand on Thursday while waiting for a bus.

Sensing an opportunity, Afsar Pasha and Aisaq rushed near Naveen. While one accused managed to divert Naveen’s attention, the other accused snatched the phone and fled. Shocked by the incident, Naveen filed a complaint with the Lashkar Police who nabbed one of the accused, Afsar Pasha, in just a day.

The other accused Aisaq is on the run. Both the accused have many criminal cases against them and the Police had booked them under Section 392 of the IPC (punishment for robbery). Despite this, the duo continued to commit robberies, the Police said.

Mobile phone snatching, especially in crowded areas like Sub-urban Bus Stand, City Bus Stand, has become a new headache for the Police. It may be recalled here that a month back student Pramod’s expensive mobile phone was snatched at City Bus Stand.

In this case, however, an alert Pramod and his friend Puttaraju, both students of Kaynes ITI College at Hebbal, chased the accused, Riyaz Pasha of Ghousianagar, caught him and handed him over to the Police.