A Mangaluru assistant sub-inspector won both internet fame and Rs 10,000 cash felicitation after he chased down a mobile phone thief and the incident was caught on camera.
The episode took place on Wednesday but came to light when the video went viral.
The police officer in the video is Varun Alva, an assistant sub-inspector with Mangaluru city police.
#Karnataka #WATCH #Mangaluru Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Varun chase and nab a robber who had snatched away mobile phone from a man who was resting. @IndianExpress @DarshanDevaiahB pic.twitter.com/SbXlFTcMJM
— Kiran Parashar (@KiranParashar21) January 13, 2022
According to the police, the victim Prem Narayan Yogi, a granite worker from Rajasthan, was resting near Nehru Maidan when Harish Poojary (32) snatched his mobile phone from him. Yogi shouted for help, and the public started chasing Poojary. A police team, including Alva, was at the spot. Alva ran after Poojary and caught him even as members of his gang tried to create diversions, officers said.
The entire act was recorded on a mobile camera.
Other members of the police team caught the second accused, Shamanth (20), while the third, Rajesh, managed to escape.
On Thursday, the Mangaluru city police commissioner announced Rs 10,000 cash reward for Alva and felicitated him. The probe has revealed that the accused operated in Mangaluru city and have been involved in several thefts and robberies, said a police officer.