MADURAI/SIVAGANGA: Making the most of the lockdown, a 32-year-old history-sheeter, posed as a policeman and robbed nine persons who ‘violated Section 144’, in Madurai and Sivaganga. Based on a tip-off, he was arrested on Thursday.
The man identified as V Arun Prasath of Kuturavupatti in Sivaganga district has more than 10 cases pending against him. He was cooling his heels behind bars and had come out in December. He went back to his old ways and was involved in a murder. Not wanting to go back to jail, he fled to North India and returned recently, said the police.
Once back, he noticed how violators of lockdown were being brought to book by the police. He decided to make most out of the situation and decided to play the role of a policeman. For that, he needed to look like one and boy he didn’t leave any stone unturned.
He cut his hair short, put on a crisp white shirt and paired it with a khaki trouser. He even pasted police sticker on his bike. The trap had been set! All he needed now was people out on the streets. He began to go on rounds at Mathagupatti in Sivaganga and Melur in Madurai, where rounded off at least nine persons and ‘seized’ cash and phones.
He would ask them to collect the valuables from the station. On reaching the police stations, people realised they had been cheated. Meanwhile, based on tip-off, the police rushed to the spot to nab him, said SI Ansari Hussain.
On seeing the police, Prasath tried to flee and fell down and fractured his left arm. He was taken to the Government Sivaganga Medical College Hospital, from where he was taken to the sub-jail in Sivaganga. Cash to the tune of Rs 19,000 and five phones were seized, the police said.