Kanpur: Police shot an alleged chain snatcher in the leg and arrested him along with an accomplice during vehicle checking in Kalyanpur on Saturday night after the suspects allegedly opened fire. Police recovered two snatched chains, a numberless bike, Rs 3,720, a country-made pistol and a live cartridge.According to police, cases had been registered in two chain-snatching incidents and teams were searching for the suspects. On Saturday, at a barrier on the road towards Panki, police tried to stop two youths riding a numberless bike. Instead, they allegedly opened fire. In retaliation, one youth was shot in the leg and the bike fell. Police then caught both.They were identified as Prashant Mishra alias Mangal, a resident of Bidhuna in Auraiya, and Anshu Thakur, a resident of Mangalpur in Kanpur Dehat. The injured accused was sent to CHC.According to police, Sheelu Singh, a resident of Sakhrej in Shivrajpur, had come to her elder brother-in-law’s house in Kashyapnagar on July 28 for a birthday function. While returning, bike-borne snatchers allegedly snatched her chain and mangalsutra. On Aug 4, Meha Tripathi, a resident of Krishna Vihar, was returning home with her son after shopping at Zudio when snatchers allegedly looted her chain.DCP West SM Kasim Abidi said 12 cases were already registered against Prashant and three against Anshu. Both had confessed to the chain-snatching incidents.During questioning, police learnt that Prashant lived on rent in Kalyanpur and had met Anshu about three months ago. Anshu’s sister’s marriage had been fixed and he wanted to arrange money. Prashant assured him of help and called him to Kanpur.Anshu came to Kanpur on July 27, and the two allegedly committed the first robbery the next day. After returning on Aug 3, they allegedly carried out the second incident on August 4.
