Hyderabad auto driver risks life to confront fleeing chain-snatcher

HYDERABAD: An autorickshaw driver in Hyderabad risked his life to catch a criminal trying to escape after snatching a gold chain from around a woman’s neck.

Displaying extraordinary courage, autorickshaw driver Mohammad Zaheer rammed his vehicle into the offender’s motorbike to stop him and then boldly confronted him, though the chain snatcher tried to attack him with a stick.

The incident occurred at Begum Bazaar Jinsi Chowrasta area early on Monday.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar on Tuesday honoured the autorickshaw driver for his act of bravery and presented him with a cash reward and commendation letter.

The Police Commissioner posted the CCTV footage of Zaheer’s daring act on social media. The accused was identified as Mohammad Sohail, a rowdy sheeter.

"It's not about just watching a crime happen. An ordinary auto driver proved that the true civic duty is to catch the criminal. When a rowdy sheeter tried to snatch the gold chain from around a woman's neck, risking his life, he turned his auto into a weapon and boldly stopped Mohammad Sohail, the rowdy sheeter. He confronted him without flinching at the attack with a stick," Sajjanar said.

According to the Commissioner, on the morning of May 4, Manju Omlata went for a morning walk with her daughter-in-law in the Begum Bazaar Jinsi Chowrasta area. When they reached the Hindi Marwadi Vidyalaya School, the rowdy sheeter riding a motorbike tried to snatch the gold chain from around her neck. In the process, the chain snatcher lost control of his vehicle and fell.