VELLORE: A day after nabbing three members of a gang for their involvement in a series of chain-snatching and vehicle thefts, the Ambur Taluk police on Saturday arrested four highway robbers, all aged between 21 and 25 years, for waylaying a lorry driver along National Highway (NH)-46 near Minnur. The police seized `1,700 cash and a mobile phone from the gang.
Police arrested the highway robbers -- Sindu (24) of in Krishnagiri, Kirubanandam (25) and Dinesh (19) of Gudiyattam and Senthil (28) -- within 15 minutes of their committing the crime during the early hours of Saturday.
The trio waylaid lorry driver Shanmugam (38), of Perumalpettai in Vaniyambadi, when he stopped the vehicle near the Minnur EB office to attend nature’s call at about 2.45 am. The trio who were waiting to strike, robbed the lorry driver at knifepoint and chased him from the spot, said E Vijaya Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Ambur.
Shanmugham got a lift to the Ambur Taluk station and alerted the police. A team of police personnel led by Inspector Irudhayaraj rushed to the spot and intercepted the trio who were walking towards Madhanur. Police frisked them and found the driver’s mobile phone and money.
A case has been registered against them under section 379 (punishment for theft) of the IPC and they have been remanded to the Vellore Central Prison for Men.
The same police team on Thursday night nabbed another three-member gang including Vadivel (27) of Old Katpadi, Dheena (alias) Dinakaran (24) of Mangalam village in Tiruvannamalai and Amreesh (22) of Ambur, who were involved in chain-snatching, robbery and vehicle theft in Vaniyambadi and Ambur sub-divisions in the district. Police also seized seven sovereigns of gold jewellery, an SUV, auto and a two-wheeler worth around Rs 10 lakh from the trio.
The police caught them during a vehicle check at Periyankuppam village. “We have also launched a search for Vadivelu’s elder brother Kathirvelu (35) and his companion Valli, who are absconding, for their involvement in the crimes. Kathirvelu is the prime accused in many cases and he is the alleged leader of the gang,” said the DSP.
The gang, which had been on a spree robbed three women of eight sovereigns of gold and other valuables and stole an auto from one Elumalai (50) of Eriyur between March 1 and March 9 this year.