11 snatchers nabbed, 23 mobile phones, sharp weapons, motorcycles recovered

Amritsar, May 10

With the arrest of 11 persons, the police today claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers that had been targeting vendors, delivery agents, two-wheeler riders and railway passengers arriving late in the night.

The police recovered 23 mobile phones, three datars, a sword, a baseball bat, iron rods and five motorcycles from their possession.

Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Police Commissioner (CP), said during preliminary interrogation, the suspects confessed to have committed around 30 snatchings in the past three months.

Among those arrested, included Manvir Bawa (21), Vishal Mehra, alias Bhoot (19), Love Sharma (19) and Nitish (21), all residents of Guru Nanakpura in Islamabad locality, and Prabhjot Singh (21) of Prem Nagar, Karan, alias Pichu (20) of Ram Nagar Colony, Himanshu Kumar (19) of locality near Hindu Sabha College, Rahul and Raghav of Kot Khalsa, Gurdial Singh, alias Gagan, of Rasulpura Kalar and a juvenile.

Recently, the suspects had looted a delivery agent in the Ranjit Avenue area. They had snatched cash and bike, besides a mobile phone from the agent. The suspects were targeting vendors and motorcyclists at night in Pink Plaza, Ranjit Avenue, Islamabad, Ghanupur Kale, Taranwala Pul, Chheharta, Bhagtanwala grain market, Guru Nanakpura and Putlighar areas.

Manvir, Vishal, Karan, Rahul, Raghav and Gurdial Singh had previous criminal records. They were produced in a court and brought on police remand for further investigations.