The Mangaluru police have arrested two persons suspected of being involved in a chain-snatching case, while a third accused escaped from their custody when he was being brought to a police station.

In a press release, the police said two motorcycle-borne men approached a woman who was walking home from the Yekkur bus stop to Sooterpet on the afternoon of June 14, pretending to ask for directions. As she was giving them directions, they allegedly snatched her 12-gram gold chain worth ₹1.5 lakh and fled.

On June 26, the Mangaluru South police apprehended three persons, Altaf Hussain of Bagalkote district, Mohammed Sahil Siddiqui and Ravi Bourah, both from Uttar Pradesh, near Rosario School after finding them moving suspiciously. During questioning, they confessed to snatching the woman’s gold chain near the Yekkur bus stop and of being involved in a few other chain-snatching cases in the city, the police said.

While the accused were being taken to the Mangaluru South police station, Hussain allegedly pushed aside police constable Vinayak and escaped. A separate case has been registered against him under Sections 121(1), 132 and 262 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for voluntarily causing hurt, assaulting a public servant to deter him from discharging his duty, and resisting lawful apprehension. A team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Central) Ravish Naik has been tasked with tracing Hussain.

Siddiqui, 26, and Bourah, 38, were produced before a magistrate, who remanded them to police custody till July 6.