Man gets five-yr RI for snatching

The Court of District and Sessions Judge Harpreet Kaur Randhawa has sentenced Omkar Singh, a resident of Shimlapuri, to five years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 in a snatching case.

The case was registered under Section 379-B of the Indian Penal Code at the Division No 8 police station on July 25, 2023, based on a complaint given by Sarika Kanojia, a resident of Himachal Pradesh.

According to the prosecution, on the day of the incident, Sarika was shopping with her sister in Ghumar Mandi. As they approached a grocery store, a man on a motorcycle, with his face covered by a cloth, came from the rear and snatched the purse from her hand before fleeing the scene. The purse contained cash, along with essential documents. Following the incident, Sarika reported the matter to the police, leading to registration of the case.

After receiving the complaint, the police launched an investigation and apprehended the accused within days. During the probe, the police found substantial evidence linking accused to the crime, which led to his arrest and subsequent trial.

During the trial, Omkar pleaded not guilty, claiming that he had been falsely implicated and was not involved in the incident. He argued that he was elsewhere at the time of the crime. However, based on the testimony of the complainant and other witnesses, along with the evidence presented, the court found him guilty of the offence.

Judge Randhawa emphasised the importance of strict punishment in such cases to send a strong message to society and deter potential offenders.