JOIN USCop nabs thief after a long chase
Mallesh, a 47-year-old cop attached to N R Traffic Police is that person who showed timely courage, saving the big amount belonging to Atlanta Spinning Wheels (formerly K R Mills) on Mysore-Bangalore Road, from going into the hands of robbers. Iqbal Amzad, 25, of Bademakan is the accused, who is now in police custody.
K M Sharma, a manager, and Krishna, an accountant with Atlantic Spinning Mills boarded an autorickshaw in front of the factory around 11.15 am. Sharma was holding the bag which had cash of ` 18,92,500 to be depositied at State Bank of Mysore (SBM), Bamboo Bazaar branch here.
Iqbal along with two others identified as Fazil of Bademakhan and Sabeer of Shanthinagar were on a single bike, following the three-wheeler up to a distance on their two-wheeler. As soon as the autorickshaw reached close to Madarasa in Siddiqui Nagar, the culprits overtook the autorickshaw and waylaid it. Taken aback, the driver of the auto Venkataraju of Janata Nagar stopped the vehicle.
Iqbal who was brandishing a long (a long weapon with curved edge) attacked Sharma forcing him to drop the bag. Sharma who suffered injuries on his hand raised an alarm. Incidentally, Mallesh who was on duty at the checkpost in front of the mills was on his way for breakfast, along with a relative when this high drama was underway. No sooner he heard the voice of Sharma screaming over the money, Mallesh sensed something amiss and alighted from his vehicle. Noticing the cop’s arrival, the two others who were waiting for Iqbal sped off from the spot, while Iqbal took to his heels.
Recalling the incident, Mallesh told Deccan Herald “He (Iqbal) ran into the narrow lanes and tried attacking me with weapons, but lost the grip. I took the same weapon and resumed the chase. He ran into a bush, but to no avail. Cops attached to Police Control Room (PCR) vehicle had already arrived at the same spot succeeded in stopping Iqbal, besides seizing the cash bag”.
N R Police who are investigating the incident, suspect that the trio were aware of the transaction that had happened at the factory, on Monday, apart from the fact that Sharma and Krishna were on their way to the bank. Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal who visited the police station, complimented Mallesh for his daring act.
Another feather in his cap
It’s not for the first time that Mallesh is in news for a good reason. His equally courageous act had won him a special reward during the tenure of then Police Commissioner Praveen Sood.
About four to five tourists had assaulted Dayanand, a constable attached to the same N R Traffic Police station. Dayanand had stopped a car carrying tourists, for jumping signal near outer-ring-road junction on Mysore- Bangalore Road. The tourists who were in an inebriated condition manhandled Dayanand, who was all alone, before fleeing in their vehicle. Visibly shaken, Dayanand flashed the message to his colleagues. Mallesh and three others launched a manhunt for the tourists, but in vain.
However, after sometime, they could intercept the car near Siddalingapura. Dayanand who was accompanying his colleagues, identified the assailants, thus leading to their arrest.
“We had to place huge stones on the middle of the road, to stop them from making any attempts to speed away at the very sight of the police”, recalled Mallesh. Complimenting their good job, the then police commissioner had feted them with special reward.