High-flying chain snatchers from Bhopal held in TN

COIMBATORE: The police here hit the jackpot on Monday after they detained three people hailing from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh for chain snatching in the city.
Police said they belonged to a gang of high-flying criminals who committed crimes across the country . The mastermind behind the crimes travelled by flight to collect the stolen properties. The people he recruited travelled by train to various parts of the country, taking their motorcycles with fake registration numbers along, they said.
Their run came to an end on Monday evening after they snatched the chain of a 60-yearold woman. Kalyani , wife of retired tahsildar Kanagaraj , had gone to a grocery shop near her residence in Government Employees Nagar when two people snatched her seven-sovereign gold chain .After police were informed ,they ordered checks on vehicle across the city . Kalyani had told police the culprit had been wearing a red shirt and was riding a black bike.
An anti-chain snatching squadof the Singanallur police detained the pillion rider after he tried to escape on foot after seeing police. However, the rider escaped on the bike. The arrested man told police that two of his accomplices were at the Coimbatore station ready to board a train toKerala .A police team rushed to the spot and detained them. They were identified as Murtaza Ali, 29, the gang leader, Kasim Ali, 20, and Kabir Ali,22.
Police said Murtaza had come to Coimbatore a few days ago and resided with his accomplices in a lodge . On Monday, they went to Tirupur on motorcycles and snatched a few chains. Police said the men have been questioned and will be produced before a court on Wednesday.
Two members of the gang, Sabir Ali and Abrar Ali, are absconding. Police said Sabir Ali has been involved in several chain snatching cases in Coimbatore . He had gone to Bhopal recently and returned with his accomplices, including Murtaza Ali.