by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Mysore, Mar 13: In an exemplary bravery, a girl driving a car chased another car which had hit her's and managed to nab the driver who tried to flee after a chase of nearly two hours, here last night.

The brave girl D. Shruti, daughter of Dayashankar, who owns Fashion Point garment store on D. Devaraj Urs Road and resides at 3rd Cross, 3rd Stage, Gokulam, was driving her Santro car (KA 12 M 9158) from CFTRI side towards V.V. Puram at about 9.15 pm. Shruti is doing her II B.Com at Mahajana's College.

An Indica car (UP 16 D 3318) driven by N. Munaf of Kerala coming from Bamboo Bazar side through the railway under-bridge and Yadavagiri allegedly hit the Santro car near the Akashavani Circle and proceded towards petrol bunk on KRS Road in V.V. Mohalla, where both of them stopped their cars.

Narrating the incident, Shruti told Star of Mysore reporter this morning at V.V. Puram Police Station that she looked after Fashion Point yesterday as her father was out of station. She was retu-rning home after closing the shop when the accident took place.

After alighting from the car near the Petrol Bunk, Munaf and a girl accompanying him, started abusing Shruti finding fault with her.

Shruti started crying unable to bear the humiliation. She asked them to accompany her to the Police Station nearby where the Police will decide who is at fault.

Refusing to come to the Police Station, Munaf and the girl abused her again and sped away in their car towards Hunsur Road.

"It is at this juncture that I mustered courage. With a resolve to teach them a lesson, I started chasing them," she said.

Munaf drove towards Kala-mandira, Railway Gate, RTO Circle, JLB Road and tried to dodge Shruti. She, however, kept the track. He went round several roads and bylanes with Shruti chasing him.

Finally, the fleeing Munaf again took to JLB Road, reached Nanjumalige and took deviation towards Narayana Sastry Road where Shruti's car waylaid the fleeing car at Siddappa Square at around 11.30 pm.

All along the chase, Shruti spoke to many of her friends who encouraged her not to allow the 'fellow' to escape.

Alighting from her car, Shruti started to take Munaf to task. He also came out and entered into a wordy duel.

On witnessing the commotion, passersby gathered at the spot. As Shruti narrated this incident, the enraged mob thrashed Munaf for harassing a girl.

A Traffic Police on duty nearby rushed to the spot and rescued Munaf. He called the V.V. Puram Traffic Station. Sub-Inspector Venkateshaiah and staff rushed to the spot and took both of them to the Station.

Venkateshaiah registered a case against Munaf and seized his car. The Police escorted Shruti to her house in her car.

Munaf told the Police that he had been to Bangalore to attend an interview along with his companion and was returning to Kerala when the mishap occurred.

He told them that he dropped the girl at a hostel midway while Shruti was chasing him.

Shruti accompanied her father this morning to the Police Station. Munaf and his girl companion too came to the Police Station.

The girl still argued with the Police blaming Shruti for the accident.

The Police are continuing the interrogation. An officer told Star of Mysore that the case is likely to end in a compromise.

Father is proud

Dayashankar, father of Shruti, indeed feels proud of his daughter for her dare devilry last night.

He was talking to Star of Mysore this morning at V.V. Puram Police Station.

"It really was an adventure. Women should act courageously when they confront such situations," he added.

"My daughter is really bold. But she had never come across such incidents," he said.

He also said that Munaf had offered to meet the expenses towards the damage to his daughter's car.