Man fends off snatchersin Delhi’s Wazirabad, son injured

An eight-year-old boy was injured, including a fractured leg, after three motorcycle-borne men allegedly tried to snatch his father?s mobile phone in north Delhi?s Wazirabad. The father managed to catch one of the suspects and recover his phone, while another suspect, a minor, was apprehended the same day. A case of robbery and causing hurt was registered.

An eight-year-old boy suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured leg, after three motorcycle-borne men allegedly tried to snatch his father’s mobile phone in north Delhi’s Wazirabad on Wednesday, police said on Friday.

Sahil Singh’s son, 8, suffered a fracture in his leg. (HT Photo)

However, his father managed to catch one of the suspects and recover his phone, police said. Another suspect, a minor, was apprehended the same day, while the third was yet to be nabbed, they added.

A case of robbery, and causing hurt during robbery was registered at Wazirabad police station in this connection.

Sagar Singh Kalsi, deputy commissioner of police (north), said that suspects who was caught was identified as Sameer (single name). “Sameer’s interrogation helped us nab on the same day another suspect who is a minor. We are searching for the third snatcher,” said Kalsi.

Meanwhile, the injured boy was undergoing treatment, officers said.

The incident too place at around 6.20am on Wednesday, a few metres from the Jharoda police post, when Sahil Singh, who works for an insurance firm, was walking his son on their way to the pick-up spot for the Class 3 student’s school van. Singh suddenly heard some people shouting when the suspects were escaping after snatching a phone.

“I had casually extended my hand while trying to cross the road with my son. I think the snatchers thought that I was trying to stop them from escaping,” said Singh. “So, they swerved the motorcycle in my direction, possibly to scare me into moving out of their way. But the pillion rider swooped down on me and snatched my phone. They simultaneously kicked me and my son,” he alleged.

While Singh managed to grab the motorcycle from behind, his son allegedly was flung away.

“Two of them managed to run away, but I held on to the third snatcher. Some people arrived to my aid and caught hold of the snatcher and thrashed him,” said Singh, who also recovered his phone from one of the suspects, Sameer.

He said his son fractured his right leg, suffered a deep cut to his ankle, injured his tongue and also had bruises on his body. “We took him to a private hospital from where he was referred to Sushruta Trauma Centre,” said Singh over the phone from the hospital on Friday afternoon.

The boy lives with his parents near the crime spot and studies at a central government school.

Till June 15, 3,531 snatching cases were reported this year, according to Delhi Police. Last year, 8,387 cases were registered, while 9,383 snatchings were reported to the police in 2021.