In two separate operations, Hyderabad City Police arrested a three-member gang involved in a snatching case at a petrol pump, and a habitual chain snatcher wanted in multiple theft cases across the city.
In the first case, a cashier at the BPCL petrol pump in Malakpet was robbed of ₹19,000 on April 17. Two men on a two-wheeler without numberplate approached under the pretext of filling fuel worth ₹100. One of them pretended to make a UPI payment while the other snatched the cash from the cashier’s hand and fled. A third accomplice was waiting nearby and helped them escape.
The Mirchowk Police analysed footage from over 60 CCTV cameras before identifying and arresting 23-year-old Mohd Ismail, 23-year-old Abdul Rahman and 20-year-old Mohammad Akbar. They were caught during a vehicle check at Bibi Bazar X Roads on April 24.
In the second case, Begumpet Police arrested 32-year-old Papani Kranthi Kumar, after tracking his movements using footage from over 300 CCTV cameras. He is accused of a series of thefts targeting elderly women and is a known repeat offender with over 14 past cases related to theft, housebreaking and narcotics.
The accused was involved in three recent offences. On April 17, he snatched a gold chain from a 75-year-old woman while she was asleep at her home in Begumpet. On April 19, he posed as someone seeking a rental space and robbed another elderly woman of five tolas of gold jewellery in Marredpally. On April 16, he stole a motorbike from Vivek Nagar, Chikkadpally.
Police recovered stolen property including gold ornaments weighing approximately 9.4 tolas, worth nearly ₹8 lakh, and the stolen motorcycle.
Published – April 26, 2025 08:17 pm IST
