COIMBATORE: A 35-year-old autorickshaw driver from Sugunapuram was arrested by the city police in connection with a series of burglary incidents, which involved three Uttar Pradesh natives, at the TNHB housing unit in Kavundampalayam of Coimbatore.
The autorickshaw driver, R Ayub Khan, was booked under sections 331 (3) (house trespass) and 305 (theft in transport) of the BNS and remanded in judicial custody.
"Khan helped transport the stolen jewels, cash and silver in two bags along with the three suspects from Kavundampalayam. The prime suspects allegedly rented his auto for Rs 2,000 per day. Although Khan knew the gang's motive, he operated the autorickshaw to transport the stolen valuables from the housing unit to a location at Kulathupalayam near Kuniyamuthur," police said.
Khan was arrested and remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the body of Asif (45), one of the suspects who was shot in the leg by police and died without responding to the treatment at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Sunday, was handed over to his relative on Monday. The postmortem was conducted in the presence of the VIII Judicial Magistrate R Sakthi Manjari on Monday. After embalming, the body was taken to Ghazipur by his relatives.
An investigation revealed that the burglary was executed by the 16-member gang and was masterminded by Kallu Arif (60), who was also shot in the leg by the police.
Arif has a total of 30 criminal cases including murder, attempt to murder, theft and burglary pending against him across the country. Another accomplice, A Irfan (48), who was also captured after being shot in the leg, had 17 criminal cases against him," police said.
Firiyan (23), another suspect and the younger brother of Asif, is wanted in a murder case in UP. Firiyan had stayed with the other suspects in a rental house at Kulathupalayam. Firiyan, along with three other suspects — Jamir, Wasim and Dawood —projected themselves as street vendors selling utensils and were involved in surveillance of target houses and committed the thefts.
They prepared for the theft for more than a month, police said. The gang sub-rented the house from one Mohaideen for Rs 40,000 per month and orchestrated the plan. Further investigation is under way.