CHENNAI: A five-member gang barged into the house of an elderly couple in Villivakkam during the wee hours of Friday and robbed them of Rs 2.5 lakh in cash and 70 sovereigns of gold jewellery at knifepoint. The victims were identified as Cholan (74) and Vanaja (64) of the Second main road in Sipco Nagar in Villivakkam. They live alone in a complex which has five houses- three on the ground floor and two on the first floor. Their three children are married and live separately.
Cholan is a mason and was supervising the renovation of a store in the locality. The stolen cash was to be paid as wages to the workers, said the police. “On Thursday night, the couple went to sleep after dinner. At around 3 am there was a knock on the door and Vanaja answered it. To her shock, brandishing knives five masked men barged in. They threatened the couple at knifepoint and ransacked the house in search of valuables,” said the police. They stole Rs 2.5 lakh and the gold from a cupboard. They also snatched Vanaja’s gold chain and ring, injuring her in the process, added the police.
The couple raised an alarm and the neighbours rushed in to help. Their daughter also rushed to the house and informed the police. Villivakkam police reached the spot with forensic experts. Quoting the couple, the police said, the money was kept to pay the workers and the gold was their life savings. We have formed a special team to nab the culprits,” said the police.
3 held for robbing 2 women
Three people were arrested for robbing an elderly woman and her helper at knifepoint. The gang had stolen 7.25 sovereigns of gold jewellery, Rs 1.4 lakh in cash and a mobile. According to the police, the arrested accused are J Vigneshwaran alias Vicky (29), T Surya alias ‘Pottu’ Surya (22) and D Arul (43). The police recovered 6.05 sovereigns of jewellery from them. On September 13, while Sujisaritha (76) and Mahalakshmi were asleep, two men entered the house and robbed them.