The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Four in jail on chain-snatching, vehicle theft charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Four in jail on chain-snatching, vehicle theft charges

By Our Staff Reporter

Buddha Harshavardhan, an MBA student accused of chain-snatching, hiding his face from probing cameras in Hyderabad on Monday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD, DEC. 20. Two degree dropouts, a commerce graduate and an MBA student. They are all from a decent family background. But, the inability on the part of their parents to keep a tab on the activities of their children led them into gambling and alcohol. They took to chain-snatching and vehicle-lifting to meet their expenditure.

Connected with 40 chain-snatching offences and vehicle thefts, the four are now cooling their heels behind the bars after the Cyberabad police got the scent of their criminal activities.

The sleuths recovered 42 gold chains weighing 70 tolas and three two-wheelers stolen from various police station limits in Cyberabad.

The arrested were Budha Harshavardhan (MBA student), P. Venkata Prasad, P. Srinivas and M. Lenin Babu, all residents of Vanasthalipuram. Two other gang members -- Vijay and Mahesh -- are absconding.

Family background

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner, M. Mahendar Reddy, said that all the four came from a good family background and used to spend money on gambling and alcohol.

A commerce graduate, Venkata Prasad, took to crime three years ago. His father is stated to be in a good position. Prasad is working in a private firm.

Similarly, Srinivas, a degree dropout, is a son of a driver in the RTC. Harshavardhan's father is an officer, while Lenin Babu is also a degree dropout and is married.

"I was doing correspondence course and failed in two subjects. I was not aware that they (his friends) were indulging in such offences," said Harshavardhan hiding his face with a handkerchief.

The `gang leaders' Prasad and Srinivas roped in Harshavardhan and Lenin Babu much later for committing offences. However, Prasad confessed that they committed the offences for gambling and consuming liquor.

Mr. Mahendar Reddy appreciated the work by the Constable Officer attached to Vanasthalipuram station, K. Sunder Rao, in busting the gang.

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