Police nabs carjacker after hot pursuit

Police nabs carjacker after hot pursuit Highway patrol vehicle damaged; two others at large Rajiv Bhatia Zirakpur, November 2 After a two-hour chase right out of any Bollywood action flick, the Zirakpur police nabbed a car thief, but not before getting its own vehicles damaged. Sources said the rashly driven vehicle rammed into a highway patrol vehicle several times before it was intercepted by the police at Banur. The vehicle taken by three carjackers eventually overturned, resulting in the arrest of one, while the other two fled the scene. The pursuit started from the Zirakpur-Kalka traffic lights when a stolen white colour Maruti car (CH03 H 8502), being pursued by the Chandigarh police, entered the Punjab territory around 2.30 am on Wednesday, an hour after the car owner, Amrik Singh, reported the theft to the police. The carjackers entered the Zirakpur territory where the chase was taken over by a local police unit. All attempts to intercept the speeding car failed even as the police vehicle nudged the car several times. The suspects took the Zirakpur-Patiala highway towards Banur even as both vehicles came in contact with each other several times till Banur. A police official said the highway patrol vehicle tried to take out the other vehicle by ramming into it time and again, which resulted in severe damaged to both vehicles. Later, the car overturned near Banur and the Zirakpur police informed the area police about the incident. The police said the car was stolen by three youths, including a minor, from Amrik Singh’s Ram Darbar Phase-II residence. Talking to The Tribune, Amrik Singh said his neighbour Harcharan Singh Bawa informed him about the theft of his car. Bawa had seen three youths push the car to a little distance before starting its engine after three attempts. Amrik Singh informed the police about the theft around 2.05 am. Zirakpur SHO Yogi Raj said they got a tip-off that a gang of car thieves was moving towards Zirakpur after stealing a car from Ram Darbar in Chandigarh. The police engaged the car in pursuit till Banur, where it arrested a minor youth. The two others escaped in the cover of darkness. The suspects have been identified as Ravi and Sonu, besides the minor, all residents of Ram Darbar. A case under Sections 379 and 457 of the IPC has been registered against them. A police official said the arrested suspect had sustained minor injuries was admitted to the Dera Bassi Civil Hospital from where he shifted to the GMCH-32, Chandigarh. He was later discharged after treatment. The accused was produced in a local court today and was remanded in judicial custody. The Banur police has also registered a case for hitting a police vehicle.