Snatchers turn violent, push two woman off bikes for gold

Balammal (68) of Venkatakrishanan Street in Arumbakkam was riding pillion on a two-wheeler while her daughter-in-law Indira (29) was riding the bike with her grandson in the front. 

They were returning home after attending a function at a relative’s house in Koyambedu when the incident took place. Suddenly, two persons on a bike pushed Balammal, who went sprawling on the road.

But before Indira could stop the bike and rush to her rescue, the duo snatched Balammal’s chain and escaped.

Balammal, who suffered injuries on her right hand, was rushed to a hospital nearby.

The Koyambedu police have registered a case and are investigating.

However, the police are yet to identify the snatchers as there were no CCTV cameras installed on the flyover, said sources.

In a similar chain snatching incident on the outskirts of the city, snatchers pushed a woman and her daughter off the two-wheeler and robbed her seven-sovereign chain near Ponneri on Monday evening. The same gang struck another woman pedestrian in Minjur within minutes and snatched her three-sovereign chain.

The snatchers targeted mostly woman who went to bring children from school.

Sujatha (35) of Singilimedu village was returning home on a two-wheeler with her daughter Vaishnavi (4), when she was followed by a bike-borne duo. At an isolated place, the snatchers kicked Sujatha’s bike. As both of them fell on the road, one of the snatchers got down from the bike and took her seven-sovereign chain.

After getting treated at Ponneri GH, Sujatha lodged a complaint with Ponneri police.

The same gang reportedly went to Minjur and snatched a three-sovereign chain from Nandini (24) of Pudhupedu village. The victim was walking towards a private school on Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri Road to bring her child home, when the gang struck.

Minjur police booked a case and have launched a hunt for the snatchers.