Bikers follow judge in car, smash window, steal purse

THE MEN TRIED TO STOP THE JUDGE’S CAR BY SIGNALLING TO HER

THAT IT HAD A FAULT. SHE IGNORED THEM. THEY ATTACKED HER CAR AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL

NEW DELHI: Two men on a motorcycle followed the car of an additional sessions judge of the Saket Court for almost three kilometres, smashed the glass of its rear window at a traffic signal and fled with her purse while she was driving, in south Delhi’s Okhla Industrial Area Part-2 Tuesday night. The stolen purse contained the judge’s Aadhaar Card, Pan Card, court ID and debit cards of two banks, the police said.

A case under IPC sections 379 (theft), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (common intention) was registered at the Okhla Industrial Area police station against unknown persons. Police suspect the role of members of the “Thak-thak” gang.

The judge, who wished to remain anonymous, said around 8pm, she was driving her Honda Brio car towards Saket Court judges’ residential complex. As she crossed the Sarita Vihar underpass, two men on a motorcycle signaled her about some mechanical problem in her car. She, however, ignored them and did not stop the car.

According to the judge, the two continued following her even when she turned toward Okhla. The driver of the motorcycle had partially opened his helmet while the pillion rider was constantly talking to someone on his mobile phone. On the way, two occupants of a car nearby gave her similar signals but she ignored them and continued driving.

“I had to stop my car at the Maa Anandmayee Marg traffic signal when suddenly I heard a smash sound and a passerby told me that two men on a motorcycle had taken my purse away from the rear seat after smashing the rear right window glass,” she said, adding she did not find police presence, pickets or any arrangements on the entire route.

The judge then called the police control room. A police team reached the spot, recorded her statement that was later converted into an FIR. Police said while teams were making efforts to identify and nab suspects, the judge received a call from a lawyer in Jamia Nagar who told her he had found her wallet. The lawyer told the judge her purse was lying on the road and he found her contact number on her court ID.

“We are scanning CCTV footage from routes the judge took on night. We are rounding up some criminals involved in similar crimes,” said additional deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Kumar Gyanesh.