Think twice before you stop your car to respond to a stranger’s plea for a lift. The person, apparently a gentleman in trouble, may snatch the wheel at gun-point and speed away with your car.

This was almost what happened to Gangaram Chowdhury, a businessman in his late 30s, on Saturday night. His courage and presence of mind not only saved him from losing his Ambassador, but also landed one of the two carjackers in police custody.

Rajesh Subarna, additional superintendent of police (industrial), South 24-Parganas, said Chowdhury had left Thakurpukur Cancer Hospital around 10.30 pm after visiting a relative admitted there.

As he drove out of the hospital main gate and came on to James Long Sarani, two youths in their late 20s almost blocked the road. “The duo requested Chowdhury for a lift to Esplanade, as one of their relatives had just been admitted to a hospital,” additional superintendent of police (ASP) Subarna said.

Sensing something wrong, Chowdhury flatly refused to give them a lift. But the youths then pleaded with him with folded hands. This softened Chowdhury and he opened the door of his car to let the youths in.

“One of them sat on the front seat and the other on the rear,” the ASP said.

After a five-minute drive, Chowdhury found the nozzle of a revolver pointed at his left temple. As he was forced to stop the car, he was thrown out.

“Reacting promptly to the situation, the businessman started screaming, hearing which people of the locality rushed to the spot,” said an officer of Thakurpukur police station.

The youths, seeing no alternative, got off the car and started running. Witnesses ran hot on their heels, finally pinning down one of them, later identified as Kiran Adhikary. But the other youth managed to flee.

Adhikary was soundly thrashed before officers from Thakurpukur police station rushed to the spot and arrested him. “A hunt has been launched for the other culprit,” ASP Subarna said. “We are trying to find out whether the two have any criminal records.”