Puttur: In an incident that could unsettle many users of Shiradi Ghat road in the night, a family returning to Mangaluru after a visit to Bengaluru was robbed on the night of Monday, April 10.
As their Tavera car reached the point between the double turn and Gundya checkpost around 11-15 am, a red Scorpio car stopped them. After assaulting the occupants and robbing them of their cash and gold jewellery, they sped towards Gundya.
Mobile coverage is poor in the ghat section. But some locals who came to know about it flashed the message to the Gundya checkpost. A bus was placed across the road to prevent the robbers from passing through the gate.
The gang took a U-turn and drove towards Shiradi again. In the process, some bystanders were injured.
The robbers. vehicle was intercepted by a group of locals near the temple on Shiradi boundary. Those in the vehicle stopped at Kempuhole and fled immediately. They were given a chase and only one of them could be caught.
The arrested person is said to be from Chintamani and he confessed to having splashed chilli powder at the occupants of the Tavera car.
More details are yet to be available. Travellers and residents of the ghat road section have urged the police to arrange for regular night patrol on the stretch.