Miscreants snatch gold chain, phone from commuters

Madurai: In two separate incidents that took place in Tallakulam police limits, a woman was robbed of her gold chain and a biker was snatched of his mobile phone worth Rs 33, 000. Both the incidents took place in an hour’s time in two different places in the same police limit.

The chain snatching took place when the woman, identified as G Nirmala, 56, from South Veli Street was walking in St Peter’s Road in Iyer Bungalow. She works as a legal assistant in Madurai bench of Madras High Court.

While she was trying to catch a share auto rickshaw on Saturday night at around 9.45, two unknown men on a bike approached her in the pretext of inquiring about an address. After diverting her attention, the duo snatched her gold chain weighing two sovereigns worth Rs 40, 000 and escaped from the spot.

Hardly an hour before the incident, a mobile phone which belongs to one M Siraj Masthan, 32, from Krishnapuram Colony was snatched. The incident took place at 5th Street in Krishnapuram Colony, when he was travelling on his bike.

Three unidentified people intercepted Masthan and snatched his mobile phone and sped away from the spot.

Based on complaints, separate cases were registered on the same night. Apart from the two incidents, at least three crime incidents involving mobile phone snatching were registered with the city police stations on Saturday.

Suspects in two mobile phone theft cases in Thideer Nagar police station and one theft case in Keerathurai police station are being investigated.