Two men on a bike snatched a gold mangalsutra from a 40-year-old woman in Jamshedpur on Friday afternoon, within 15 hours of a similar incident in the heart of the steel city on Thursday night.

Meena Mohan, a member of DBMS English School's management committee, was returning home to Kagalnagar in Sonari on her scooter around 1.15pm when two men on a yellow sports bike targeted her on Kadma link road, barely a kilometre from the cradle.

"I was riding at a moderate speed on Kadma-Sonari Link Road. The bikers intercepted me near Gerua Road crossing. I felt a tug on my neck and realised my mangalsutra had snapped. I acted on instinct and grabbed the chain, but the bikers managed to take away most of it, barring the pendant. I chased them, but they managed to flee towards Sonari airport," the woman said, adding that she later lodged an FIR with Kadma police.

Meena's husband V. Mohan, who works with Tata Consulting Engineers, said the mangalsutra that was snatched from his wife's neck weighed 44gm. "Only the pendant and a small portion of the chain, together weighing around 7gm, was left behind in my wife's grip," the engineer said.

In Thursday's incident, three men on a bike snatched a 10gm gold chain from Ruby Khalkho (35) near Sakchi burial ground on Straight Mile Road around 10.30pm.

A resident of Sitaramdera, Khalkho was returning home from work, riding pillion on her husband's scooter. As they were crossing the burial ground stretch on Straight Mile Road, they were targeted.

Soon after the incident, the victim had visited Sakchi thana and lodged an FIR against the unidentified men. "We were returning home as we do every day. I can't express my anguish in words," Ruby said.

City SP Prashant Anand confirmed the snatching incidents in Sakchi and Kadma. "We are aware and are doing our best to bring the culprits to book. We are looking at CCTV camera footage to identify the men," he said.

Anand added that petty gangs had become active in the wake of the upcoming festivities and police would intensify patrolling.

What can police do to curb snatch gangs during Puja? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com