Gold chain snatcher forced to excrete 40gm necklace he swallowed 4 days ago

A 20-year-old chain snatcher was forced to excrete a 40-gm gold necklace which he swallowed after snatching from a woman four days ago. This happened at a government hospital on 19 August, Government Railway Police (GRP) official said in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Secunderabad Railway Station Inspector A Anjaneyalu told PTI that accused Vikas R snatched the woman's necklace when she was walking near the tracks at Sitaphalmandi railway station in Hyderabad on the night of 15 August, after which he fled.

However, after Vikas was caught by a police team within two hours of committing the crime, he feared that the gold necklace would be found on his person and hence he swallowed it, the official said.

A case was registered under Sections 359 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property) and Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code against Vikas, who was subsequently arrested, the official said.

"He confessed to police that to divert the attention of the police he had swallowed the necklace and based on his statement, he was X-rayed," Secunderabad Railway DSP P V Muralidhar Rao said.

The report showed the necklace in his stomach after which he was produced before a magistrate along with the medical report.

Following the court's directive, he was admitted to the Gandhi Hospital (under judicial custody) to get the necklace "extricated", Rao said.

"After four days, the gold necklace was excreted by Vikas today evening. It has been done naturally. Besides food, he was given bananas daily at the hospital," the DSP said, adding that doctors had also planned to conduct a surgery on Thursday, in case he did not excrete the necklace out on Wednesday.

Investigations revealed that Vikas had stolen bikes twice, had been previously arrested and sent to jail, he said.

-PTI