Nagpur, Oct 26 (IANS) Police have booked five members of a chain snatching gang and slapped the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on its leader, an official said here Friday.
Nearly 40 chain snatching incidents have taken place in the last two months in the city, gravely injuring many citizens. "On Thursday five members of one such gang were arrested and their leader booked under MCOCA," said an official investigating the cases.
These have been identified as gang leader Parag Gaikwad, 22, Parag Dangi, 19, Piyush Wandre, 21, Sanjay Kharwade, 33, and Suraj Kude, 18.
According to the official, this gang has committed about 21 chain snatchings so far.
Even as police spoke of arresting members of one gang, another gang of chain snatchers Friday grievously injured a family of three while attempting to snatch the 'mangalsutra' of a woman.
According to police officials, the family - husband, wife and their nine-year-old daughter - were going towards their home on a two wheeler when two men attempted the snatching.
"Eyewitnesses said the husband (who was driving the vehicle) lost control and all three members were dragged for almost 200 metres after the fall," the official said.
While the family has not been identified yet, they are under medical treatment at a nearby hospital's intensive care unit. Both the mother and the daughter have suffered serious injuries on their face which might also need plastic surgery, police said.
