Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Apr  12: The stretch of Shiradi Ghat on national highway 75 is considered to be comparatively safe, with no major incidents having been reported from there in the recent past. However, a robbery occurred on the night of Monday April 11 on this stretch, and the gang members except one fled, leaving behind a Scorpio vehicle.

As a bus was placed across the road to stop fleeing robbers, vehicular traffic came to a standstill in the ghat section for over two hours. The family that came under the attack is said to be presently based in a foreign country.

A Chevrolet Tavera car bearing registration No. KA19 C8064, in which a family was returning to Mangaluru after visiting Bengaluru for treatment of eye, was intercepted by a gang of robbers who came in a red Mahindra Scorpio vehicle without a number plate at around 11.15 pm. They attacked the family with sword and chilli powder, and forcibly took away gold ornaments and cash from them at a desolate spot between Gundia border and double turn on the highway. The Scorpio then raced towards Gundia.

Some locals, who came to know about the incident, arranged to close the border Gate at Gundia to stop the gang. The robbers, who were overtaken by anxiety at the sight of the closed gate, took a U-turn at the gate, injuring some waiting locals in the bargain. Some people chased the robbers in vehicles. The robbers then drove their vehicle down the river slope near Choudeshwari temple at Shiradi. The miscreants then got down from their vehicle and fled, but the people gave them a hot chase. While the gang succeeded in escaping the ire of the people who were chasing them by taking advantage of dark conditions and forests lining the road, the people succeeded in taking one person into custody. Search for four missing robbers is on. Policemen from Uppinangady and Sakleshpur police stations have launched an operation to nab them.

It is said that the accused are from near Bengaluru, while the person who was caught by the people has been identified as Basavaraja Byra Reddy from Chintamani. Reportedly, he was the one who sprayed chilli powder at the occupants of Tavera vehicle.

The angry locals attacked and thoroughly damaged the Scorpio vehicle belonging to the robbers.