SALEM: C Chandran, of Kollankadu, in Erode district, was loitering around Salem Junction as usual on Sunday night. But this time, the cops were watching him, suspicious over his frequent visits to the railway station. They approached him, and on checking his bag, found two sovereigns of jewellery and some documents, for which he could not give a reasonable explantion. Further questioning revealed that the 40-year-old from Kollankadu, near Gobichettipalayam, is the headmaster of a government school at Sempulichanpalayam, near Anthiyur.
At the police station, Chandran confessed that he used to loot passengers’ bags on trains. Police sources told Express that Chandran had lost a huge sum of money in the share market, and in a bit to clear his debts, began stealing from train passengers. When questioned, he would show his ID card and get away. “Every weekend, Chandran used to catch express trains from Erode Junction at night.
While passengers were asleep, he would carry their bags away. He only wanted cash and jewellery; whever he found educational certificates in the bags, he would courier them to the persons concerned. When we asked why, he said that educational certificates were more important than wealth, police sources told Express. Chandran was arrested on Monday evening after seven sovereigns of jewellery were recovered from him. “We also sent information to the Erode district education officials for departmental action against him,” police sources said.