Hyderabad: Notorious snatchers held

Hyderabad: A gang of chain-snatchers led by a teenager was arrested in a joint operation by the Madhapur Special Operations Team and KPHB police early on Saturday. The police recovered gold worth Rs 4 lakh.

The arrested have been identified as kingpin Dusmukku Dasthagiri, M. Shiva Kumar, Bandari Sairam, all 19 years of age, Mahaboob Pasha, 26, and a juvenile.

Cyberabad police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said that Dastagiri chose different persons to strike each time.

He generally sat on the pillion seat of the two-wheeler while snatching chains.

He used to walk up to the women, snatch their chains and then flee on the two-wheeler.

Mr Sajjanar said the gang had also stolen mobile phones and motorcycles. On specific information, the police caught the gang at 4 am at 7th Phase, KPHB, on Saturday.

The Cyberabad police began looking for the gang after it struck at several places in the early hours.

The police collected CCTV footage at places where they had snatched chains, secured pictures of the gang members and tracked them down.