Full sleeves to cover tattoos, protruding nose helped police nab snatcher

The police team that arrested Rawat earlier recognised him by his signature appearance. He always wore full sleeves to cover two tattoos — a Shiva tattoo and the letters ‘SN’. His nose shape also matched that of the man they arrested in July

A 24-year-old petty criminal who wore full sleeves to hide his tattooed arms and whose distinctive nose protruded from under his helmet — that’s how a Delhi Police team remembered Sohan Rawat, the man arrested on Wednesday for allegedly snatching MP R Sudha’s gold chain in Chanakyapuri two days earlier.

A CCTV grab of the alleged snatcher. (HT Photo)

It was these details that helped the same police team — which had arrested him in a similar case last year — identify and nab him again, senior officers said.

Rawat, a resident of Harkesh Nagar in Okhla Industrial Area, also goes by at least two aliases — Sonu and Buggu — and frequently changed addresses to avoid being declared a proclaimed offender in any particular area, police said. A Class 8 dropout, Rawat left his wife and young son about a year ago.

According to police, Rawat has 26 prior criminal involvements, mostly reported in south Delhi. Six recent theft and robbery cases have been solved following his latest arrest.

He was last taken into custody on April 16 for allegedly stealing a motorcycle and released on bail on June 27. On July 17, he allegedly stole a scooter from Pul Prahladpur, which he used in Monday’s chain-snatching incident in Chanakyapuri.

The breakthrough came when the same team — led by Inspector Umesh Yadav — that had arrested him in July last year for snatching a woman’s gold chain in Defence Colony reviewed CCTV footage. Teams from the New Delhi and South West districts traced a helmeted man riding a metallic grey stolen scooter from Ashram Chowk to Dhaula Kuan before he entered Chanakyapuri.

“More footage revealed he had started in Okhla, crossed Govindpuri and Kalkaji, joined Ring Road, turned onto Mathura Road, passed Ashram Chowk, and then proceeded to Dhaula Kuan and Chanakyapuri. He used the same route to escape,” an officer familiar with the investigation said.

The team recognised Rawat by his signature appearance. “He always wore full sleeves to cover two tattoos — a Shiva tattoo and the letters ‘SN’. His nose shape also matched that of the man we arrested in July,” the officer added.

After establishing his identity, the team approached Rawat’s estranged wife in Dakshinpuri. Though she said they had separated, she shared the contact details of a close friend. The friend was questioned and provided an active mobile number for Rawat. The number was traced, and he was picked up early Wednesday morning near the BRT corridor.

Police said Rawat works alone and has no known affiliation with any gang.