Bhapur: Snatching a mobile phone in a busy marketplace proved costlier for two youths after alert locals nabbed them and tonsured their heads partly before handing them over to the police.
The incident took place this afternoon at around 1 pm when people were busy marketing at Bahada-Baigunia Bazaar under Fategarh police station limits in Nayagarh district.
According to sources, two bike-borne youths, who came from the Khandapada side, snatched away a mobile phone from one, Suresh Swain, while the latter was shopping and tried to speed away. However, their luck ran out, after some alert locals managed to nab them as their market was heavily crowded.
Sources said, the people tied the snatchers to a pole and gave them a sound thrashing before tonsuring their heads partly. On intimation, police reached the spot and rescued the snatchers.
“The accused youths, identified as Alok Naik of Icchapur village and Tuna Swain of Kainthapali village under Khandapada block have been detained and further probe is on,” informed IIC Girija Nanda Pattanayak.
On the other hand, local traders have said that they suspect the duo was involved in theft cases in the market in the past few months. They have also demanded for regular patrolling by police to curb such incidents.
