Three youth go on a robbing spree, arrested within 24 hours

They strike at six persons within eight hours

MADURAI

Madurai City police have arrested three persons in connection with a series of robbery cases reported under various police station limits on Sunday.

The police identified the accused as S. Salman Khan, 23, of TNHB Colony in Villapuram, A. Abdul Raghuman, 19, and an 18-year-old boy, both from Nelpettai.

The trio went on a robbing spree at different places under Vilakkuthoon, Teppakulam, South Gate, Thilagarthidal and Karimedu police stations limits from 12.45 a.m. to 8.25 a.m. on Sunday.

The trio first snatched a mobile phone and ₹1,000 from G. Azhagarsamy, 50, in front of his house in South Marret Street past midnight, and fled away.

At around 4 a.m., they robbed S. Suraj, 21, from Thrissur of his mobile phone and ₹640 near Arapalayam roundabaout. After a short while, the trio robbed R. Rajasekaran, 60, of Cuddalore of his mobile phone near Head Post Office on North Veli Street.

Later, they robbed R. Rathinam Babu of Balarengapuram and K. Chelladurai, 45, of Munichalai of their mobile phones on Kamarajar Salai at 5 a.m. and at 6.15 a.m. respectively.

The fifth case was reported near A.V. Bridge, in which S. Vasantha, 63, of Narayanapuram lost her gold chain at 8.25 a.m.

The police said the accused were arrested with the help of CCTV footages. The police recovered four sovereigns of gold and five mobile phones from them.

A police source said two of the drunk accused fell down from the motorcycle they were riding near a check-post. The police helped them to get back. Incidentally, the police, who advised them to go to hospital for treatment, took photographs of the duo after they refused to go to hospital.

It was with the photographs that the police could identify the accused and the CCTV footages too revealed their involvement in the crimes.

Commissioner of Police S. Davidson Devasirvatham appreciated the police team, and appealed to the city residents to install CCTV cameras in residents and commercial establishments to make the city crime-free.