Auto-borne snatchers land in P’kula police net

Three men have been arrested for snatching ₹400 and a mobile phone from a 25-year-old man at knifepoint in an auto-rickshaw in Panchkula, police said on Saturday.

Mohammad Tarif of Saini Vihar, Baltana, told police that he had boarded an auto for Baltana from Zirakpur around 6am on Friday. “There were two men besides the driver in the auto. As I dozed off on the way, the three started hurling abuses at me and later thrashed me,” Tarif said.

Sector 5 station house officer (SHO) inspector Rajeev Kumar said the accused crossed the Baltana light point towards Panchkula and snatched the valuables and a bag from Tarif at knifepoint before pushing him out of the auto at the Majri Chowk near Sector 1 here. A PCR vehicle took him to the civil hospital for treatment, the SHO said.

“The complainant had noted down the registration number of the auto, following which the accused — driver Mangi, 29, his friend Sandeep, 28, both residents of Mubarikpur, Mohali, and Arvind, 29, who works as a security guard in Dera Bassi — were traced and arrested. The accused are involved in three similar cases in Dera Bassi and Zirakpur,” the SHO said.

Police have seized the auto and recovered Tarif’s mobile phone. A case under Section 379B (snatching and use of force) of the IPC was registered.