Gang abducts, robs jeweller; police yet to arrest culprits

Chennai: Even five days after a 64-year-old jeweller from Karaikudi, who came to Chennai to buy gold ornaments, was kidnapped and robbed by a six-member gang, no one has yet been traced or arrested by the city police. He was bundled into a vehicle, assaulted and relieved of 132gm of gold jewellery, 31.5 lakh in cash, and 1.25kg of silver ornaments on June 26.Police said Ravichandran owns a jewellery showroom in Sivaganga district and that he was waiting near the Sacred Heart Church in Egmore to board a bus back home when he was abducted by the gang at knifepoint. The gang apparently approached him under the pretext of asking for an address, but forced him into a car, threatened him with a knife, and sped away. He was later pushed out of the moving vehicle near Porur. Ravichandran, who suffered injuries, approached the SRMC-Porur police station and lodged a formal complaint. Based on jurisdiction, the case was subsequently transferred to the Egmore police station, as the kidnapping occurred on Commissioner’s Office Road in Egmore.

The Egmore police registered a case and launched an investigation by collecting CCTV footage from nearby shops and commercial establishments to identify the vehicle used in the abduction. Three special teams have been formed to track down the suspects.“We have obtained leads from CCTV footage and are in the process of identifying the vehicle and individuals involved. Investigations are progressing,” said a police officer involved in the probe.