Bhatkal: Three interstate robbers who fled after snatching a gold chain from an elderly woman in Brahmavar, Udupi district, were arrested in Yellapur, Uttara Kannada district, nearly 170 kilometers away, following a dramatic six-hour search operation in the forest.

The arrested have been identified as Gaurish Rohidas Kerkar (37) from Goa, Mainuddin Bagalkot (31) from Sindgi in Vijayapura district, and Surjeet Gautam Kar (27) from Vile Parle, Maharashtra. The incident took place on the morning of April 26, when an elderly woman named Padma was plucking flowers outside her residence at Waramballi Adarsha Nagar in Brahmavar. The accused arrived in a car, and one of them assaulted her and forcibly snatched her gold chain weighing around 40 grams, valued at approximately ₹2.5 lakh, before fleeing the scene. A case was immediately registered at the Brahmavar Police Station.

Based on CCTV footage and Fastag tracking, Brahmavar police traced the suspects’ vehicle and alerted their counterparts in Uttara Kannada district. Acting swiftly, the Uttara Kannada police located the vehicle near the Holegadde toll gate in Kumta. When police attempted to intercept them, the accused abandoned their car near the Huthkamane forest area under Anagodu Panchayat in Yellapur taluk and escaped into the forest.

An extensive search operation was launched under the leadership of Yellapur Police Inspector Ramesh Hanapur, with the help of local villagers who were alerted through WhatsApp groups. After a continuous six-hour search in the dense forest, police successfully apprehended all three accused along with the stolen gold.

The operation involved PSI Yellaling, ASI Deepak Naik, constables Shafi Sheikh, Girish Lamani, Shobha Naik, Imran, and villagers from Huthkamane. Their coordinated efforts were praised by Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Narayan M. The arrested men have been handed over to Brahmavar police for further investigation.