Boy shot at while trying to take on snatchers in Delhi

THE VICTIM WAS TARGETED BY THE TWO SNATCHERS WHEN HE WAS AT THE TEENAGER’S COCONUT WATER STALL

NEWDELHI:A 15-year-old boy, who was filling in for his father at their roadside coconut water stall near Rambagh Park on Club Road in northwest Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on Friday morning, was shot at when he tried to take on two bike-borne chain snatchers.

Police said the victim, identified as Praveen Kumar Jain, was targeted by the two snatchers when he was at the teenager’s coconut water stall.

The boy’s family, fearing for his safety, has requested his name be withheld.

Police said the boy’s condition was stable.

According to investigators, the incident took place between 8.15am and 8.30am.

Eyewitnesses have told investigators that a man came to buy coconut water from the boy, who studies in Class 9, around 8.15am.

At that time of incident the boy was talking to the phone with his elder brother.

“Two men on a bike, one of them wearing a helmet and the other with his face covered, approached Jain. The pillion rider then attempted to grab at the gold chain that the man was wearing. He, however, instead caught hold of the Jain’s collar, making him lose his balance and fall. The pillion rider too lost his balance and fell along with the bike,” a police officer said.

Seeing this, the teenager reacted quickly and pounced on the pillion rider.

As there were morning walkers and joggers around, the two men panicked and the one who was riding pillion whipped out a pistol and shot at the boy.

The bullet pierced his right shoulder.

Even as the teenager collapsed, the men fired a second time in the air to scare passersby and sped away from the spot.

Police said that Jain then picked up the boy and rushed him to Fortis Hospital.

Meanwhile, another local called the police and informed them about the incident.

From Fortis, the boy was referred to Safdurjung hospital, where he was operated upon and his condition was said to be stable.

Deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Aslam Khan said that the two men managed to flee from the spot but the police have leads and they will be arrested soon.

“We have checked the CCTV footage and are identifying the two men. A case of attempt to murder has been registered,” the DCP said.

The teenager’s family came to know about the incident from his elder brother who was talking to him and heard the entire incident over the phone.

The elder brother, who was on the phone, said, “While we were talking, my brother suddenly shouted and went off the line. I kept calling out to him but he did not respond. I did hear two gunshots. I disconnected the call and called him again. A passerby picked up the call and told me the entire episode,” he said.