Commissionerate police have swung into action against a spate of gold chain snatchings, arresting four suspects in two separate incidents reported over the past few days. In both cases, stolen mangalsutras were recovered, and the accused have been produced in court.
In the first case, on the evening of 22 August, a woman and her daughter-in-law were returning home from the market when two men on a red-and-black HF Deluxe motorcycle approached them near the Bhimatangi Banadurga Temple. The duo snatched a gold mangalsutra from the woman’s neck and a money purse from her daughter-in-law’s hand before fleeing. The victim fell during the attack and sustained a neck injury. The daughter-in-law managed to note the motorcycle number.
Using the vehicle registration and CCTV footage, Airfield police launched a targeted operation. On Sunday morning, officers apprehended Ajay Bhoi and Sanjay Bhoi near the Kaliasuni Temple while they were loitering. During interrogation, the pair confessed. Police recovered the nearly 21-gram gold mangalsutra from one of the accused’s pant pockets. Both have been produced in court.
In a second incident on the morning of 18 August, a woman was walking with a friend on AIIMS Road when two men on a motorcycle snatched an approximately 12-gram gold mangalsutra from her neck. She bravely pulled the pillion rider, causing him to fall. He handed the broken chain to the rider, Manish Pattanaik, and brandished a country-made pistol to threaten her before escaping.
Local residents helped police arrest the armed suspect, Rinku Khan, the same day. A 7.65 mm country-made pistol and an empty magazine were seized from him. Manish fled on the motorcycle. On Sunday, Khandagiri police arrested the main accused, Manish Pattanaik, from the Patrapada area and seized the Pulsar motorcycle used in the crime. He admitted selling the gold lockets to Prakash Kumar Sahu (alias Bapina), a jewellery dealer in the Rajasunakhala area. Police raided and arrested Sahu as well. Manish is described as a professional thief with five prior cases registered against him across different police stations. Both accused have been produced in court.
Police continue to investigate possible links between these and other similar incidents in the city.
