CHITTOOR: Chittoor police thwarted an armed robbery attempt at businessman Chandrasekhar Gupta’s house in the early hours of Wednesday, arresting all six suspects after a tense three-hour standoff.
The operation, led by Chittoor District Superintendent of Police (SP) Manikanta Chandolu, saw police cordoning off the house near Gandhi High Road and launching a counteroffensive.
Five suspects were found hiding in different parts of the house and were arrested, while the sixth managed to escape but was caught an hour later at Mulakalacheruvu in Annamayya district.
According to sources, the prime accused, Subramanyam Reddy (50), who had suffered financial losses in the furniture business, planned the robbery, targeting his acquaintance Chandrasekhar Gupta. He recruited a five-member gang, identified as Naveen (24), Ibrahim (25), Praveen (26), and two others whose identities are yet to be confirmed.
The gang arrived in a Maruti Omni van with a Tamil Nadu registration and a press board sticker. They stormed the house armed with knives and dummy guns. Subramanyam allegedly attacked Chandrasekhar with a sharp weapon, injuring him. Despite the attack, Chandrasekhar managed to contact the police emergency number, 100, alerting authorities.
Responding swiftly, police surrounded the house and launched a retaliatory operation under the direct command of SP Chandolu. Local youth assisted in trapping two of the robbers and handed them over to the police. The remaining four suspects attempted to evade capture by hiding inside the house for over three hours. Armed personnel eventually stormed the premises, searching each room before arresting them. The final gang member, who had escaped during the commotion, was later arrested on the outskirts of town. Police sources revealed that two of the accused are from Anantapur and two from Nandyal. Authorities are investigating their backgrounds and any potential links to other crimes.
SP Chandolu informed senior officials, leading to the deployment of Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations (OCTOPUS) commandos from Tirumala. However, as the situation was contained, the local armed task force successfully concluded the operation without requiring their intervention. Police seized the van, dummy guns with fake bullets, and knives used in the crime. Senior officers stated that investigations are ongoing.