Heartless attacks on old folk

By VANEETHA SAGADEVAN and REETHA GNANAPRAKASAM

KUALA LUMPUR: Snatch thieves kicked an old couple off their motorcycle and dragged a 61-year-old woman by her thali (wedding gold chain) for about 20m before passersby came to their rescue just outside the entrance to the Batu Caves Temple.

A.E. Manomani, who was riding pillion, suffered bruises on her right hand, body and legs, while her husband, R. Loganathan, 70, suffered bodily injuries when the machine he was riding landed on him.

“I held on to my thali and they released it only when people rushed to our aid,” said Manomani, who received outpatient treatment at a clinic nearby.

Met at her home, Manomani, who suffers from osteoporosis, said she was still traumatised by the incident.

“I can hardly move my right arm, and my husband’s toes got crushed by the weight of the motorcycle,” she said.

Loganathan said the snatch thieves sped off when passers-by and people from the stalls in the temple grounds rushed towards Manomani.

“It happened all of a sudden,” he said. “We didn’t even catch a glimpse of the suspects’ faces. I can only remember seeing his hand and the striped T-shirt he was wearing.”

The couple were returning home after shopping in Selayang when they were pounced upon by the thieves.

Their son, L. Kannan, 39, said that the relevant authorities should pay serious attention to the growing number of petty crimes, especially when the incident happened right in front of the temple, a popular tourist attraction.

He urged the police to mount an operation to nab snatch thieves as people working in the area said there had been many snatch thefts there.