Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Mar 12:The chief judicial magistrate’s court here has sentenced two persons, who were charged with snatching chains from women found alone on roads, to two years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000 in each of the two cases decided against them. They have also been ordered to undergo an additional six months in jail in case of failure to pay up the fine. The convicted persons are Naveen Sequeira (39) from Chembugudde in Tokkottu, and Vincent D’Souza (48) from Hoigebail in Ullal.

Vincent, who lost a leg in a train accident several years ago and hence walks with the help of a prosthetic leg, used to host marriage and other ceremonies, while Naveen worked as a waiter in a hotel.  Vincent met Naveen during his visits to the hotel, and both planned to make easy money, it is said. While Naveen rode the motor bike, Vincent, who occupied the pillion, snatched chains from the necks of gullible women.

At present, the accused have been pronounced guilty in two out of four cases they are facing. Two more cases are pending in the court.

One of the charges faced by the above people was snatching of a 55 grams Karimani chain valued at Rs 90,000 from the neck of Geeta Balakrishna from Bejai at around 6.45 pm on February 13, 2012, when she was walking towards KSRTC bus stand from Lalbagh in the city. Geeta had filed a complaint at Barke station. In the other case, these thieves had divided a chain they had snatched from Sumangala Bhat from Derebail Abbakka Nagar when she was walking to her home on October 9, 2012, by cutting it into two pieces. This chain was valued at Rs 70,000. This case was registered in Urva police station.

The policemen, working on the basis of definite clues, had arrested both the accused when they had approached a financial institution for pawning the robbed gold ornaments.