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Snatchers held for robbing lawyer using monkeys
New Delhi: Over a month after an advocate was robbed of ₹6,000, allegedly by three men who threatened him with trained monkeys, police arrested two men for the crime from Chirag Dilli on Thursday and are on the lookout for a third suspect
New Delhi:
Over a month after an advocate was robbed of ₹6,000, allegedly by three men who threatened him with trained monkeys, police arrested two men for the crime from Chirag Dilli on Thursday and are on the lookout for a third suspect. While only one such case has come to light so far, police suspect the accused used the same modus operandi to target others.
According to police, the accused -- identified as Balwan Nath (26) and Salin Nath (23), who originally belonged to a community of snake charmers -- played drums at weddings and other events before the pandemic curbs affected their livelihoods. Subsequently, to make money, the accused allegedly caught monkeys from forested areas in south Delhi and started using them to seek donations on the road.
On March 2, police said, the accused surrounded the lawyer, who was travelling in an autorickshaw in Malviya Nagar, and demaned money from him after setting their trained monkeys on him. “When the lawyer pulled out his wallet, which contained ₹6,000, to pay them off, the accused snatched it and fled,” said an officer.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said that the Malviya Nagar police received a call from the advocate, following which a police team rushed to the spot. The victim was on his way to the Saket court when the accused targeted him.
Police scanned CCTV cameras from the area and also tapped their human intelligence network.On Thursday, the investigating team received information that the suspects were present at Chirag Dilli bus stop with the monkeys, following which a team caught the two suspects and their monkeys, said the DCP.
In addition to robbery, the accused have also been charged for cruelty to animals and using them for a crime as well as livelihood. While the two have been sent to jail, the monkeys were handed over to the wildlife department.
“We also booked them under the Wildlife Protection Act for showing cruelty to the animals. The monkeys were deposited at the wildlife SOS centre. Raids are on to nab the third suspect, Ajay,” added DCP Thakur.
Meanwhile, police suspect they may be involved in other cases as well. “Although the arrested duo claimed that the Malviya Nagar’s robbery was the only crime they had committed, we have reasons to believe that they may have used the monkeys for committing similar crimes. There are possibilities that the victims may not have filed complaints,” said a police officer, who did not want to be named.
