CHENNAI: Three people, including a woman and two Sri Lankan Tamils, were arrested by the Puzhal police on charges of running a prostitution racket and robbing customers by posing as police personnel in north Chennai.
The arrested were identified as Jennifer Kalaivani alias Kalaivani (40) of Villivakkam, Kanniappan alias Karuna (32), and Shivendar Raj alias Sindujan (30), both inmates of the Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camp at Kavankarai near Red Hills.
Police said Kalaivani had rented a house in Teachers Colony near Puzhal, from where she was allegedly operating the racket. Investigations revealed that the two men joined her plan to extort customers visiting the house by threatening them while impersonating as police officers.
The racket came to light after a 40-year-old bank manager from Choolaimedu lodged a complaint with the Puzhal police alleging that he was assaulted and robbed after visiting the house.
Based on the complaint, police detained the trio, recovered his stolen laptop and arrested them. All three were remanded in judicial custody.
Cops arrest 100 in ‘Operation Special drive’
Chennai: More than 100 history-sheeters, drug peddlers and persons allegedly involved in ‘katta panchayat’ activities were arrested across Chennai during an overnight crackdown carried out under ‘Operation Special Drive’ which was conducted from Tuesday night till Wednesday morning. It involved intensified vehicle checks, raids and searches across several police districts, including T Nagar, Adyar, Pulianthope, Anna Nagar and Mylapore. Police said the drive targeted history-sheeters, habitual offenders and those linked to extortion, narcotics trade and other unlawful activities. The crackdown comes in the wake of the recent double murder of two youths at Varadharajapuram near Tambaram, which police said stemmed from prior enmity. Seven people have so far been arrested in the case.
