Class XII student Laxmi, who resisted a snatcher from taking her phone, was dragged around 350 metres along the road by bike-borne snatchers in Jalandhar on Saturday. Despite her efforts to protect the phone, she eventually lost it. Laxmi, determined not to lose the phone given to her by her labourer father, sustained injuries, and her clothes were torn during the struggle. The incident was captured on CCTV.
Two days before this incident, snatchers targeted another college student on Ladowali Road. In that case, the culprits snatched the phone from the girl as she was returning home from college.
According to reports, 18-year-old Laxmi, originally from Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh, resides in Jalandhar’s Garden Colony. On Saturday, she was heading home with her younger sister and her neighbor’s daughter when she noticed three men on a motorcycle watching her.
As they approached their home, the bike stopped, and one of the men said, “Sorry,” according to a Tribune India report. Then, the pillion rider snatched her phone. Laxmi resisted and grabbed his hand.
The bike did not stop, and the snatchers dragged her along the road before fleeing with the phone.
In the video of the incident, the three men on the bike can be seen dragging Laxmi along the road. A boy in a white shirt can be seen running behind them.
Laxmi said the phone is important for her studies. “The wounds will heal, but the snatchers took away the phone my parents bought with their hard-earned money,” Tribune India quoted her as saying.
Laxmi’s parents work as labourers. The video of the incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many users calling the incident shameful.
“This incident in Jalandhar, Punjab, is very shameful and horrifying. Three bike-borne robbers tried to snatch the mobile phone of Laxmi, a Class XII student. Laxmi bravely caught the hand of one of the robbers, but they dragged her a long distance. Her clothes were torn, and she was injured, but she could not get her phone back," wrote one user.
"Her parents, who work as labourers, bought the phone with their hard-earned money. This robbery is not just a crime but also raises serious concerns about the safety of our daughters. When will these incidents stop? The government and administration must take strict measures so that such criminals receive the harshest punishment, and our daughters feel safe,” the user further said.Jalandhar police arrested the all three accused. The snatchers have been identified as Pawanpreet, Gagandeep and Lavpreet.
PM
Another user demanded bulldozer action against the culprits.
One user pointed out that many people were on the road, but nobody intervened.
Law has better shoes
After the video went viral, Jalandhar police arrested all three accused. The snatchers have been identified as Pawanpreet, Gagandeep and Lavpreet.
Official X handle of Jalandhar Police Commissioner, posted a video in which the accused can be seen limping with plastered leg.
The caption of the post read, "Snatchers thought they could outrun the law... turns out, the law has better shoes!"
The police also confiscated the vehicle that was used in the crime.