Tomato robbery: Couple arrested in Karnataka, hunt on for 3rd accused

Bengaluru, July 22 (IANS) Karnataka police have arrested a couple in connection with the tomato robbery case reported in RMC Yard police station in Bengaluru and launched a hunt for the three other accused, police said on Saturday.

According to police, the arrested couple have been identified as Bhaskar and his wife Sindhuja. The search is on for Rocky, Kumar and Mahesh.

The incident took place on July 8. The miscreants had made away with the vehicle transporting 2,000 kilograms of tomatoes after threatening a farmer in Bengaluru.

The incident had taken place in the limits of RMC Yard police station in Bengaluru near Chikkajala. The farmer was transporting tomatoes from Hiriyur town in Chitradurga district to Kolar market.

After noticing tomatoes, the gang of miscreants had followed the vehicle. They had waylaid the vehicle and assaulted the farmer and driver of a Bolero goods vehicle alleging that their vehicle had been hit.

They had demanded money from them and later got the money transferred to
their mobile online.

They had boarded the goods vehicle along with the farmer.  Later, the miscreants had forcefully pushed the farmer out from the vehicle and had taken away the vehicle carrying tomatoes.

RMC Yard police had collected the CCTV footage and gathered clues about the
accused couple. They had taken the vehicle to Chennai and sold tomatoes there. They had parked the vehicle near Peenya and Bengaluru and escaped in another vehicle which did not have a registration number plate.

Notably, the prices of tomatoes have touched Rs 120 to Rs 150 in Karnataka. The
farmers are forced to erect tents and guard the tomato crop as miscreants
are invading tomato farms and committing thefts to make quick money.