Ex-Telangana home guard working as bike-taxi driver in Andhra held in chain-snatching case
Anakapalli police on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, arrested a former Cyberabad police home guard who allegedly resumed chain-snatching after his release from prison and had been operating across several districts in Andhra Pradesh while working as a bike-taxi driver. A woman accused of receiving and selling the stolen jewellery was also taken into custody, police said.
Arrests and recoveries
The accused were identified as Mahender Singh, 40, a native of Rajasthan currently residing in Madhurawada, and M. Latha Ratnakar, 52, of Kommadi. According to the police, around 4.5 tolas of gold ornaments linked to two chain-snatching incidents reported in Anakapalli were recovered during the operation.
Investigators said Singh was apprehended in a joint operation by the Visakhapatnam Airport police and the Anakapalle Town police. Following the arrests, the police secured custody of the accused with the court’s permission for further questioning.
Background of the main accused
Police said Singh had earlier served as a home guard with the Cyberabad police in Telangana. Between 2013 and 2015, he allegedly took to chain-snatching, targeting women walking alone in Telangana, and was subsequently arrested and sentenced to prison for those offences.
After completing his sentence and being released, Singh moved to Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam. He had been working as a bike-taxi driver, a role investigators allege he used to move inconspicuously through various neighbourhoods and identify potential targets.
Alleged offences across multiple districts
Police allege Singh resumed chain-snatching after relocating to Andhra Pradesh, targeting women walking alone in parts of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Srikakulam, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada and Nellore. In Anakapalli, he is suspected to have committed two chain-snatching offences on May 22.
Ratnakar is alleged to have received and disposed of the stolen gold jewellery. Police said their investigation linked the duo to the two May cases in Anakapalli, leading to the recoveries and arrests this week.
Investigation and next steps
The operation involved coordination between the Visakhapatnam Airport police and the Anakapalle Town police, who pieced together evidence from the reported May incidents and tracked the movement of the suspects before executing the arrests. With court-approved custody secured, investigators are expected to probe possible links to other incidents reported in the districts where Singh allegedly operated.
Separate case: Absconder traced after 16 years
In an unrelated action, the Nakkapalle police arrested a man who had allegedly been evading arrest for nearly 16 years in a dowry harassment case registered under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Police identified the accused as D. Apparao. A non-bailable warrant had remained pending against him for years, and previous efforts to trace him were unsuccessful, officials said. About 10 days ago, the court issued a fresh non-bailable warrant. Acting on instructions from senior officers, Nakkapalle Sub-Inspector Sunny Babu and his team intensified surveillance, developed specific leads and apprehended Apparao on Monday.
He was produced before the court at Yelamanchili, which remanded him in judicial custody.
Significance
The arrests in both cases underscore stepped-up enforcement by police units in the Anakapalli region. While the chain-snatching investigation focuses on alleged repeat offences spanning multiple districts, the apprehension of a long-time absconder highlights renewed efforts to execute pending warrants and bring stalled cases before the courts.
