Mobile phone snatcher, injured in police firing, held in Hyderabad along with accomplice

Hyderabad police have arrested two notorious mobile phone snatchers, one of whom was injured when police opened fire during a chase after they committed an offence two days ago, a police official said on Sunday.

Gopalapuram police, along with the Task Force arrested the offenders, who were involved in cell phone snatching by using deadly weapons.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) S. Rashmi Perumal said the accused were identified as Masood ur Rahman and Fazal ur Raheman, both residents of Hyderabad.

Police seized a stolen Honda Activa - used in the commission of the offence, two daggers, and three mobile phones, including one which was snatched by the offenders.

Masood ur Rahman was previously involved in three theft cases registered in the police stations under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate. A habitual offender and a school drop-out who worked as a welder and cab driver, he turned to committing robberies and thefts for quick money. He was previously arrested by Nacharam and Mailardevpally Police in similar cases, the DCP said.

On the intervening night of June 19 and 20, he, along with Fazal ur Raheman, was roaming on the city roads on a two-wheeler. They committed the theft of a Honda Activa parked in Malakpet and parked the stolen vehicle at Star Hotel, Bholakpur, Musheerabad for later disposal.

From there they headed towards Secunderabad at around 02:30 a.m. where they spotted a person near Ganesh temple heading towards the railway station. They snatched his mobile by threatening him with daggers. Hearing the victim’s cries for help, an Anti-Snatching team of two constables began chasing the offenders. The accused threatened to kill them with daggers. They also attempted to snatch another pedestrian’s mobile phone but abandoned the effort upon realizing they were closely chased.

At City Light Hotel, fearing the offenders posed harm to the public, one of the constables fired at the offenders' two-wheeler, aiming for the tyre. The bullet struck Masood’s right leg calf, but they continued to flee. Another round was fired but failed to discharge and the offenders managed to escape.

A special investigative team, however, identified and nabbed the accused within 48 hours.