SALEM: The Salem City Police arrested four gangsters on the charges of murder and stealing gold from a man at knifepoint. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the gang had also planned to murder two persons from Cuddalore and Coimbatore.
How the story unfolded?
According to the Pallapatti police, during a vehicle check at Suramangalam, a team led by Assistant Commissioner J Nagarajan inspected a vehicle. The suspicion of the personnel was aroused when the car occupants gave evasive replies to their questions.
During a thorough inquiry, the car occupants confessed to having robbed a man of a two-sovereign chain and Rs 1,000 on Thursday evening at the Salem New Bus Stand. The car occupants were identified as Vimalraj (33) from Adudurai in Perambalur, C Kumar(30) from Mettupalayalam in Coimbatore, N Karthikeyan (24) from Jaheerammapalayam in Salem, and A Balaji (38) from Sarkar Kollapatti in Salem.
Vimalraj was identified as the gang leader. Sources said that Vimalraj has over 15 cases, including eight of murder, registered against him in Salem, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, and Villupuram.
Murder
Investigations revealed that Vimalraj, Kumar and one more person had killed a cab driver Shanmugasundaram from Mettupalayalam. On March 24, they had kidnapped the driver to steal the car and sell it. Later, they strangulated him to death and burned his body at Sankagiri. Following this, the suspects fled to Andhra Pradesh and sold the deceased's car.
According to the police, the cab driver's wife had filed a missing complaint at the Mettupalayam police station. The police are planning to alter the case.
Murder plot
Sources claimed that Vimalraj and three more persons had planned to murder Kumar's ex-girlfriend as she had parted ways with the latter. Moreover, the gang had also planned to murder a businessman at Panruti in Cuddalore.
Recovery of jewellery and attempt to escape
On Friday night, police took Vimalraj and Kumar to Dalmia Board House, from where they recovered the stolen jewellery. While they were returning to the Pallapatti police station, the duo requested the policemen for a toilet-stop near New Bus Stand. When the police stopped the vehicle, the duo attempted to flee.
However, Vimalraj slipped and fell on the road and sustained fracture on his left hand. Even Kumar tried to flee and jumped from a flyover and injured his right leg. The police admitted the duo to the Government Salem Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital.