Ludhiana: Jobs lost due to lockdown 3 friends turn snatchers; held
CRIME Tell police they wanted to pay off their debts; toy pistol, motorcycle used in crime recovered
Having lost their jobs due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, three friends turned snatchers and executed at least six snatchings at filling stations and liquor vends in Ludhiana’s rural areas before being caught.
The accused, identified as Pavittar Singh, 29, of Bahadurke village, Roop Lal, 32, of Bhattian and Mahinder Singh, 33, of Jeevanpur village, were arrested on Friday from a checkpost set up near Hawas village. Police have recovered a toy pistol and the motorcycle used in the crimes from their possession.
As per the police, the accused have no criminal history.
Police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal, during an online press conference, informed that before the lockdown, Pavittar used to work as a security guard in a factory, while Roop Lal and Mahinder were workers there. Following the lockdown, the trio lost their jobs, adding to their pre-existing financial woes, especially since they were neck-deep in debt.
To get out of the situation, the trio decided to take to crime. The police chief said the accused were captured on closed-circuit television cameras when they were executing the snatchings and robberies at filling stations. They had covered their face with masks and also removed the number plate of the motorcycle.
Inspector Parveen Randev, in-charge at CIA staff-2, said the accused have no criminal background. “They told us that they wanted to pay off their debts so they took to crime. So far, they have confessed to their involvement in six cases.”
CONFESS TO INVOLVEMENT IN SIX CASES
On June 5, the trio robbed a filling station employee of Rs 23,000 in Chaunta village.
One May 20, they robbed a Meharban area filling station employee of Rs 15,000 and mobile phone after threatening him with a toy pistol.
On May 30, the accused robbed Rs 8,840 from a worker of liquor vend in Meharban.
In April, they looted Rs 2,900 and liquor bottles from a vend worker in Baunkar village.
In May, they looted Rs 3,500 and liquor bottles from Shalu Bahini village, Rs 700 and a carton of liquor from Hadiwal village.
