Chain snatchers have a field day on Vijayadasami

CHENNAI: In a spate of incidents, several women walking on the road fell prey to bike-borne chain-snatchers in different parts of the city on Thursday.  In Adyar alone, three cases were reported at Shastri Nagar, Besant Nagar and Indira Nagar. Jyoti (36), a resident of PWD Quarters in Besant Nagar, was relieved of her five-sovereign gold chain, while men on a two-wheeler snatched the five-sovereign chain of Padma (37), who stays in Third Street, Indira Nagar. Uma Mohanraj (56), an armyman’s wife and resident of 13th Street, Shastri Nagar, was relieved of her 2.5 sovereign chain.DCP (Adyar) R Sudhakar told Express that special measures had been put in place to curb the menace of chain snatching in the area. He said 13 entry points had been identified and sealed in Shastri Nagar. Two constables were manning each entry point. While a survey to identify entry points to Thiruvanmiyur and Indira Nagar was underway, patrolling had ben intensified in the two areas.Claiming that professional chain-snatchers were suspected to be involved in the incidents, he said an album containing the photographs of previous offenders was being shown to the victims in a bid to identify them.        In other incidents, Leela of K K Nagar (12 sovereign), Shyamala Devi of Anna Nagar (8 sovereign) and Shiela of  Otteri (3.5 sovereign) were relieved of their gold chain by bike-borne chain snatchers on Thursday. Similar incidents were also reported at Royapettah and Koyambedu.in the city on that day.