Snatchers who dragged elderly man nabbed

As has been the pattern in the recent times, two of the three are juveniles while the third person is a first year college student, who managed to win the man’s trust by addressing him as thatha (grandpa).

The incident happened on Sunday afternoon, when the victim, B Jayapandian (66) of Nerkundram, was about to take out his two-wheeler from his home on Majestic Colony Main Road, Valasaravakkam. That was when two youngsters on a bike approached him. They called him thatha (grandpa) and sought direction for an address, Jayapandian, who works in a firewood shop, told DT Next.

While he was giving them directions, the pillion rider took away the phone from his pocket and tried to flee. However, Jayapandian held on to the bike and was dragged on the road for a few metres. “When they snatched my phone, I could not accept it and tried to catch hold of them,” said Jayapandian, who suffered injuries in his forehead and legs.

The visual of an elderly man being dragged that went viral in the last two days shocking the city, prompted the city police to swing into action. When they checked the CCTV footage from the neighbourhood, police found out that there was a third person as well who was waiting at a nearby street. The police team from the Valasaravakkam station identified and nabbed the trio.

The juveniles, including a Class 12 student, were sent to Government Observation Home for boys, while Siva (18) of Virugambakkam, a first-year college student, was remanded in judicial custody. The stolen phone and the two-wheeler used in the snatching were seized from them.

T Nagar Deputy Commissioner visited Jayapandian at his house, while Commissioner A K Viswanathan rewarded the police team for arresting the suspects within two days.