Bhubaneswar: A dramatic confrontation unfolded near AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Tuesday morning when a woman bravely resisted a chain-snatching attempt by an armed motorcycle-borne suspect. Bystanders quickly intervened and caught hold of the snatcher. A firearm was also recovered from him.
According to source, the victim had accompanied a friend to the hospital for a medical consultation. After obtaining an OPD ticket, they stopped at a nearby tea stall when a motorcycle rider began circling past her repeatedly. He then snatched a gold chain weighing approximately 13 to 14 grams from her neck.
Refusing to let him escape, the victim seized the culprit by his T-shirt as he tried to speed away. She was dragged along the ground for about 100 metres and sustained injuries in the process, yet she held on tightly enough to unbalance the motorcycle and cause it to crash. Nearby commuters and onlookers, who witnessed her determined struggle, quickly intervened, overpowering the assailant and pinning him down. A search of the suspect yielded a firearm.
Two persons were involved in the chain-snatching incident. While the one riding the bike managed to flee, the detained accomplice is believed to be from outside Odisha.
Khandagiri Police later took the suspect into custody, and seized the recovered items. A probe is underway to verify his identity and background, trace his accomplices and recover the gold chain, which is reported to have fallen off amid the chaos.