Valuables worth Rs. 20.90 lakh seized

Mysore/Mysuru: In a major breakthrough, the City Police have arrested two chain-snatchers and have seized gold chains worth Rs. 19,40,000 lakh from them. 

Interestingly, the pawn-broker, who had taken the stolen gold and handed over money to the accused, too has been arrested.

The arrested has been identified as Salman Khan alias Sallu, a resident of K.R. Mohalla Hullina Beedhi and Tajuddin alias Mohammad Tajuddin, a resident of Shanthinagar. The pawn-broker is Mohammad Parvez who owns Mariam Jewels on Ashoka Road. 

Gold ornaments worth Rs. 19,40,000 including 13 gold chains weighing 388 grams and three two-wheelers worth 1,50,000 have been seized. 

On Aug. 23, the chain-snatchers had targeted Pankaja, wife of Nagaraj and a resident of N.R. Mohalla third main road.

She was going to pick her son from St. Matthias School and at Rajendranagar 10th Cross, two bike-borne chain-snatchers pulled her chain near Ajju Water Point. The gold chain weighed 60 grams and was worth Rs. 2,40,000.

Investigating the case, Narasimharaja (NR) Inspector Azaruddin and staff examined CCTV footage of the area and compared them with other similar footage obtained in other recent cases. 

They found a pattern in the modus operandi and also the model of the bikes used in the crime. Later on Aug. 26, Salman Khan was rounded off when he was roaming suspiciously near Pushpashram Junction. 

Based on the clues provided by Salman during interrogation, the Police went to Mariam Jewels where the accused had pledged the stolen gold chain in lieu of money. The Police picked up store owner Mohammad Parvez. The Police also arrested Salman’s partner in crime Tajuddin from Panchavalli Bus Stand near Hunsur on the way to Kodagu.

Further investigation revealed that the accused had snatched the gold chains of 16 women including seven in NR, three in Udayagiri and also in Vidyaranyapuram, V.V. Puram, Nazarbad and Krishnaraja (KR) Police Station limits. 

Also, the Police learnt that Salman was also involved in two theft cases in Nazarbad Police limits. The pawn-broker Mohammad Parvez too has many similar cases against him at Pandavapura, Basaralu, Nagamangala and NR Police Stations under IPC Sections 454 (house-trespass or house-breaking) and 380 (theft).