DCP fires at ‘mobile snatcher’ in ‘self defence’

Hyderabad: In what the police said was during the hot pursuit of two individuals who had “attempted to snatch a mobile phone in Chaderghat”, the city’s South East Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) S Chaitanya Kumar opened fired at one of them near the Victory Playground in Chaderghat at 2-30 pm on Saturday.

According to the police, patrol teams spotted two individuals “attempting to snatch a mobile phone” in the bustling Chaderghat area. The duo fled towards the Victory Playground after police officers started pursuing them. During the chase, one of the snatchers, Omar, reportedly turned aggressive and lunged at DCP Chaitanya Kumar with a knife.

The DCP, who was unarmed at that moment, immediately grabbed a colleague’s weapon and fired two rounds “in self-defence”, striking Omar who sustained three bullet injuries. The injured man was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment. He is under observation. Telangana’s DGP (Law and Order) Mahesh Bhagwat, while confirming the shooting, maintained that the officer “acted in self-defence” after the suspect’s violent assault and that an inquiry was underway.

Police officials said the firing was necessary, given the suspect’s attempt to cause fatal harm with the knife.

According to the police, preliminary probe revealed that the victim of firing was involved in a series of mobile phone thefts and chain snatchings in Hyderabad’s Old City region.

The knife used by the injured person has been recovered.

Eyewitnesses at the site reported hearing rounds of gunfire and seeing police teams cordon off the Victory Playground junction, one of the busiest stretches near the Chaderghat bridge.

Locals panicked initially, mistaking the firing for gang violence. By evening, the crime scene had been cleared, and evidence collected for forensic examination. Officials confirmed that a case has been booked under attempt to murder and theft provisions at the Chaderghat Police Station.

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, responding to firing incident, said two mobile snatchers attempted to flee when intercepted by the South East DCP.

Sajjanar confirmed that DCP Chaitanya fired two rounds, injuring Omar. According to him, Omar has 25 theft cases and a rowdy-sheet against him.

The Commissioner stated that both the DCP and his team were safe and that police had launched an investigation to identify the “gang behind the attempted robbery and other theft cases in the area”.