Tamil Nadu: 3 held for robbing Madurai jeweller of Rs 2.5 crore

Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 15 (ANI): The Madurai police arrested three persons for allegedly abducting a jewellery store owner and robbing him of Rs 2.5 crore on Sunday night when he was on his way to Kanyakumari to buy valuable assets.
The accused have identified as M Arunkumar, Y Alex Pandian, and R Praveen Kumar, who is the driver of the jeweller, all aged 26.
According to police, the jewellery shop owner, S Dharmaraj (61) of Arasaradi, along with his assistant Govindarajan (50) and Praveen were enroute to Nagercoil in his car when he was abducted.
The two accused - Arun Kumar and Alex Pandian - forcibly entered the car at Nesaneri Vilakku and abducted Dharmaraj while Govindarajan and Praveen had got down to attend to nature's call.
"Since Govindarajan and Praveen left their mobile phones inside the car, they could not alert the police. In the meantime, a police officer who passed through the route informed police control room. Without any further any delay, DIG R Ponni and Madurai SP V Baskaran were informed and a three-team member team was formed," said the police.
The duo got down at Sedapatti village and fled with the cash.
As Dharmaraj was not in position to explain the ordeal, the police inquired from Govindarajan and Praveen and found that the former has been working with the jeweller for the past 15 years and Praveen for two years.
Based on the confession of the driver who said he had informed the accused, who are his friends, about the cash, police traced Alex Pandian and Arunkumar and trio was arrested. (ANI)