THOOTHUKUDI: A four-member gang that hoodwinked and robbed a Chennai jeweller of a diamond worth Rs 20 crore on Sunday afternoon by tying him up at a hotel room in Vadapalani landed in police net 600km away after it created ruckus at a toll booth in Thoothukudi around 2am on Monday. According to the Vadapalani police, the victim, S Chandrasekhar, was approached by the gang that feigned interest in buying antique diamond.
According to police sources, the four suspects, L John Loyd (34), S Vijay (24), R Rathish Kumar (28), all from Chennai, and G Arun Pandiyarajan (32) of Paramakudi, were involved in selling second-hand cars. To execute the robbery plan meticulously, they even purchased diamond testing kits online and learned gem evaluation techniques through YouTube videos.
The deal was facilitated through two intermediaries, Arogyaraj and Rahul Subhakan, who introduced the suspects to Chandrasekhar. After preliminary discussions at his residence, the police said the gang invited him to a hotel in Vadapalani to finalise the deal on Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon, Chandrasekhar arrived at the hotel with his daughter Janaki, his driver, and a friend named Subramani. While Janaki and the driver waited outside, Chandrasekhar and Subramani entered the suspects’ room.
The gang allegedly tricked Subramani into leaving the room, isolated Chandrasekhar, and then assaulted and tied him up in a chair before fleeing with the diamond, police said. When Janaki was unable to reach her father over the phone after several hours, she rushed to the room and found him tied up.
Toll plaza call helped to crack case
A complaint was immediately filed with the hotel authorities and at Vadapalani police station. Four special police teams launched a coordinated investigation, analyzing CCTV footage, toll booth logs, cell tower data, and vehicle registration details.
Meanwhile, the Puthiyamputhur police in Thoothukudi district got a call a from toll plaza staff at 2am on Monday about occupants of a car creating ruckus at the booth. The car had no FASTag, police said. On seeing the police, the gang attempted to escape from the spot.
But the Puthiyamputhur police team seized the car, and a vehicle check revealed that the gang was involved in diamond theft, sources said. On information, a special police team from Vadapalani came to Thoothukudi by flight and escorted the suspects by road to Chennai. Police are examining whether the vehicle’s registered owner was aware of or involved in the robbery.
According to police, Chandrasekhar sustained minor injuries and was treated at a private hospital. The suspects will soon be produced in a court. Authorities, including those from the Archaeological Survey of India and police idol wing are expected to verify whether the stolen gem is actually an antique and how Chandrasekhar came into possession of such a high-value item, police said. Further investigation is on.