THIRUVALLUR: A hotelier-turned-chain snatcher, who went on a snatching spree to pay off debts incurred in business, was arrested along with an accomplice in the early hours of Tuesday near Kavaraipettai, in Thiruvallur.
Following frequent chain snatching incidents in Kavaraipettai area, a special team was constituted to nab the culprits. The team led by inspector K Sekar arrested the accused along with his accomplice during a vehicle check in the area.
The arrested were identified as Ulagappan alias Karthik (25), Rajesh alias Rajeshkumar (19) and Pandi alias Pandithurai, all from Kummangudi village, in Pudukkottai district.
Ulagappan confessed to his involvment in chain snatching along with his friends Rajesh and Pandi to pay off debt incurred from his hotel business at Pethikuppam. The trio used a fake gun to threaten people, particularly women, in lonely places and rob them of their cash and jewellery. Police seized 112 grams of gold, 1.3 lakh in cash, a fake gun and two motorcycles from them. All the three were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Ponneri and remanded to judicial custody.
Rice Smuggling
Police on a tip-off arrested two persons for smuggling PDS rice across the border to Andhra Pradesh in Thiruvallur during a vehicle check. They discovered 50 sacks of ration rice in a mini lorry with an Andhra Pradesh registration. Police confiscated the lorry and 2 tonne of ration rice. The accused driver, Rajkumar and his accomplice, Shanti were sent to the Puzhal prison.