Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Gun-toting snatchers on the prowl in city

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 29 - In yet another incident of snatching in a densely populated area of the city, a school teacher became target of an �armed� motorcycle-borne gang of criminals this morning.

The incident happened in a residential area at Boripara under the Jalukbari Police Station.

The lady, who filed an FIR, stated that when she was returning home after her son boarded his school bus this morning, she was waylaid by three men on two motorbikes � two wearing full-mask helmets, while the third one�s face was covered with a cloth.

CCTV footage collected later confirmed that one of the criminals was carrying a firearm, too.

According to the FIR, one of snatchers pointed a pistol at her and all of them forcibly snatched her chain after assaulting and verbally abusing her. The entire incident unfolded in less than a minute and the gang of three then sped away.

According to a police source, the gang could not have accomplished the theft without local connivance. As the school teacher was following the same routine every morning, she had probably been followed for a few days before the snatchers decided to commit the crime.

According to another source, this gang has been giving sleepless nights to the police, so much so that the men in uniform have been forced to reschedule their timings for refuelling of their vehicles, as the gang seemed to have had information about the refuelling timings, during which it committed a few similar crimes.

The sources said the gang was first active in the Pan Bazar area and then in the Maligaon railway headquarters area and the entire police concentration and patrolling then was in and around those areas.

But, Wednesday�s incident, in a new area came, as a shocker to the police. �It means that the gang was planning their moves and was one step ahead of police,� he said.

Police are certain that it is a gang of drug addicts. �But, what we are really concerned about is that they are carrying a firearm, too,� a police official said.

The gang has been active in the city for more than a month now and has been involved in many snatching cases.

Police said the crime branch is also investigating the cases, but has so far failed to trace the suspects.

Police have been able to pick on their radar two mobile shelters of this gang - one near the bypass near Gorchuk and the other in West Kamrup district, which indicates that the gang is from outside and has entered the city with the motive to indulge in such crimes.

It is not clear how many members are in the gang, but police suspect there are at least four to five members. �Definitely they are not an Irani gang, but some other gang of organised criminals, targeting the city dwellers,� a source said.

Next Story