Day after new law, two chain snatchings reported in an hour

GURGAON: A day after the Haryana assembly passed a bill making snatching a non-bailable offence and increasing the quantum of maximum punishment to 14 years, two women were robbed at gunpoint within an hour of each other in separate incidents. Police said that initial reports suggested the same gang could be behind both the incidents.
In the first incident that took place in Sector 4, the victim, identified as Preeti Khurana, was on her way home after picking up her daughter from school, when three masked men on a motorcycle attacked her from behind.One of the miscreants put a gun to her head and fled with her gold bangles and chain, police said.
"It was around 1.15pm and I was about to ring the doorbell of my house when a masked man came from behind and pointed a gun at me. He asked me to hand over money and jewellery. Two of his associates were waiting on a bike a few yards away," said Yadav.
She further alleged that the assailants cut her gold bangles and chain with a cutter which left injury marks on her body. "I was too shocked at the time and my three-year-old child was also with me. In that state of intense fear, I forgot to note down the bike's registration number," she said.
In the second incident, which took place in Sector 9, the victim, Sutopa Chattopadhyay, said in her complaint that she was returning from the market when three masked men came on a motorcycle and snatched her gold chain at gunpoint and fled.
Police said they have formed teams to nab the accused and were investigating if the same people were behind the two incidents. "We have lodged an FIR and are conducting raids to nab the accused," said ASI Mohammad Sharif, the investigating officer.
There was another robbery on Monday in Sector 9 when an auto driver and his two associates allegedly robbed a private security guard of Rs 16,000 when he was on his way to the bank to deposit the money.
According to police, around 9.30am on Monday the security guard, Ramesh Pansari, took a sharing auto to go to the bank to deposit his two months' salary for his family. The auto driver and his associate stopped the auto in a desolate place on the way and robbed the passenger ofRs 16,000 and fled the spot. An FIR was lodged later..