Chandigarh: Alert cop catches purse snatcher

An alert assistant sub-inspector caught hold of a snatcher running away with the purse of an elderly woman near the light point of sectors 44/45/50/51 in Chandigarh

An alert assistant sub-inspector (ASI) caught hold of a snatcher running away with the purse of an elderly woman near the light point of sectors 44/45/50/51, Chandigarh Police said on Wednesday.

The alert cop, ASI Gajraj Singh, arrested Mehtab Ali after chasing him for 100 metres on Tuesday evening; the accused had snatched the purse of a PSPCL employee. (Image for representational purpose)

ASI Gajraj Singh from Sector-34 police station arrested Mehtab Ali, 28, of Burail after chasing him for 100 metres on Tuesday evening.

The complainant, Asha Rani, 57, of Sector 20, told the police that she worked at PSPCL office in Mohali, and was waiting for her husband on a cycle track near the traffic junction when the snatcher struck.

Asha said she raised an alarm and a passerby chased the snatcher and caught him. It later came to the fore that the person was ASI Gajraj Singh, who was going to join his duty when he heard the woman’s cries for help.

She said her purse contained ₹600 and some important documents.

The FIR in the case has been registered under sections 379A (snatching) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code.