Mysore cops presence of mind nets bank robbers

MYSORE: Seven unarmed cops taking on 29 notorious criminals and arresting them may sound far-fetched, but that was exactly what this team from Mysore police achieved.Two toy guns were used in the process - a brainwave of a police inspector who led the team; this was so because he had forgotten to carry his service revolver with him.Following the robbery at Karnataka Bank on Devraj Urs Road branch in the city, Mysore police received a tip-off that the miscreants involved were hiding at a lodge in Shirdi, Maharashtra.It was instantly decided to send a police team comprising seven policemen led by inspector Jayakumar. The team was asked to leave immediately on August 2, when Jayakumar, who had packed a suitcase containing dress and records, forgot his 9 mm service revolver. It was only after the team reached Shirdi did the inspector realise that he had forgotten the revolver.If the Mysore police wanted to take the help of local police they had to inform the local SP and legalise the arrest immediately.This may have had disastrous consequences, such as leading to the criminals making an escape. When the criminals were traced to a lodge, Jayakumar purchased two toy guns, rope and some pieces of cloth from a market in Shirdi on August 3. Just after entering the lodge room in which the criminals were staying, the cops pointed the toy guns towards them and asked them to raise their hands. The criminals were also asked to face the wall, then their hands were tied and faces covered with cloth.Realising that the CCB team had few staff, the inspector spread the false message “that the cops should carry AK47 rifles in the two vehicles in which the criminals were being escorted to Mysore from Shirdi”. An official explained that this was to frighten the criminals from attempting an   escape. A senior city cop appreciated the timely idea of inspector Jayakumar.Mysore police commissioner Sunil Agarwal,  who recommended to the DGP to give a cash prize of Rs1 lakh to the CCB team for nabbing the criminals of the bank heist — who were involved in bank robberies across the country — commended Jayakumar, an official on condition of anonymity told Express.