Snatcher duo dies after bike skids near Secretariat, remain unidentified

CHENNAI: A bike-borne duo who snatched a mobile phone from a pedestrian on Rajaji Salai on Sunday afternoon died after their two-wheeler skidded on Flag Staff Road in the next few minutes. Since the bike in their possession was a stolen one, their identity remains unknown, said police.

Passerby noticed the duo falling off the road after their bike skidded and alerted the 108 ambulance. They were rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) and admitted in an unconscious state. A mobile phone was retrieved from them.

Even as the police were trying to ascertain their identity at the hospital, a call received on the phone confirmed that the duo snatched the phone from one pedestrian named R Karthik (25) of Old Washermenpet.

Karthik, an accountant at a private bank, was waiting at a traffic signal near Indian Bank on Rajaji Salai, when the duo snatched the phone from him. Karthik tried to chase them and injured himself in the bid as he fell on the road.

Karthik complained to the North Beach police station and when police called the number, they came to know that the duo who snatched the phone from him had been admitted to RGGGH.

While the phone was seized and handed over to the victim, both the rider and pillion rider of the bike died one after another on Sunday night. Since the Duke bike in their possession was a stolen vehicle, the duo remain unidentified since there were no other documents with them