''Hammer Man'' remanded in police custody till November 18

Mumbai, Nov 11 (UNI) ''Hammer Man'' Vikas Tak, arrested yesterday, was produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate court today which remanded him in police custody till November 18.

The 19-year-old youth has earned the ignoble name of ''hammer man'' for his alleged modus operandi of looting his victims after striking them with a hammer.

The youth was arrested yesterday from Goregaon area after he was nabbed by passersby, while trying to snatch the purse of a woman in a similar fashion. The woman evaded the attack and raised the alarm following which two constables, along with passersby, apprehended him.

At least three cases of women and girls being looted after being struck by a hammer had been reported over the past few months, and the police had been unable to track down the miscreant.

A 23-year-old woman was attacked on the head with a hammer during September in Andheri and her bag stolen. The second incident was reported from Goregaon locality in which a 15-year-old girl was struck in a similar fashion. The third victim was attacked similarly in Versova last month.

Police claim that upon his interrogation, Tak admitted his involvement in the earlier attacks too. Police have recovered the hammer and some other weapons from him.

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