Man Arrested for Snatching Woman’s Gold Chain Under False Pretense
Mangaluru – In a significant development, the Bajpe police have apprehended a man accused of snatching a gold chain from a woman by feigning a request for directions. The suspect, identified as Abdul Rauf, also known as Auto Rauf, is a 30-year-old resident of Haleangady.
The incident occurred on December 12, at around 12:40 PM, when the accused approached a woman walking along an inner road near Shibrikere Ganesh Mill in Thenka Yedapadavu village. Under the guise of seeking an address, he snatched the gold chain from her neck. A case was registered at the Bajpe police station.
Following the incident, Police Inspector Sandeep GN of the Bajpe police station formed a special team dedicated to tracking down the suspect and recovering the stolen property. The investigation led to the swift identification and arrest of Abdul Rauf, during which the police recovered the gold chain valued at around Rs. 70,000, along with a scooter worth Rs. 50,000, an auto-rickshaw, and additional assets totaling approximately Rs. 50,000.
Currently, Abdul Rauf is in judicial custody at the Mangaluru district jail. Notably, he has a history of criminal activity, with a total of ten extortion and theft cases registered against him at various police stations, including Moodbidri, Mulki, Bajpe, Uppinangady, and Arehalli in Hassan district. It is reported that he had been granted bail in some of these cases just two months before this incident.
The operation to apprehend Rauf was conducted under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal, IPS, who has emphasized stringent enforcement of law and order in Mangaluru city. The initiative was supported by DCP Siddharth Goel (Law & Order), K Ravishankar (Crime and Traffic), Mangaluru North Sub-Division ACP Srikanth K, and a dedicated team of officers, including PSI Revanasiddappa, PSI Kumaresan, PSI Latha, and other staff members who actively participated in the search operation.
