VELLORE: After 28 days of intense search and an analysis of over 550 CCTV cameras, two men were nabbed for allegedly stealing a tipper lorry from Vellore last month.
The special police team also recovered the lorry, during the mission that involved a 700-km journey to nine major cities and towns in the Northern and Southern parts of the State. The accused were identified as S Manikandan (52) of Kanniyakumari and Manoj Tiwari (36) of Deogaon village in Odisha.
On May 17, the lorry, parked in the limits of Sathuvachari police station, was stolen by unidentified men. The vehicle owner Nithyanandham of Ranipet filed a police complaint.
Based on an order from Superintendent of Police S Rajesh Kannan, the special team was formed and it was led by Vellore Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Thirunavukkarasu. Special Sub-Inspectors (SSIs) Balakrishnan and Babu, and personnel Rajesh Kumar, Elumalai, Kanniyappan, and Munivel were part of the team.
Their search took them through Ranipet, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Villupuram, Virudhachalam (a town in Cuddalore district), Jayankondam in Ariyalur, Kumbakonam in Thanjavur, Karaikal in Puducherry, and Nagapattinam. After an inquiry with the accused, it came to light that the stolen vehicle was sold off in Namakkal.