Four arrested in Thiruvananthapuram apartment robbery case

The City police have arrested four persons, including two women, on charges of attacking a 65-year-old woman in her apartment and stealing her gold ornaments on Friday. The four accused had gained access to the apartment posing as plastic waste collection staff of the Corporation, the police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred in an apartment near the Mukkolakkal temple at Sreevaraham under the Fort police station limits. The accused were identified as Sarath, 34, of Konchira; Rajan, 63, of Mulavukad house, Kodunganoor; Sheeba, 42, Melevila Puthenveetil, Chullimanoor, and Reena, 43, Sree Shiva Residency, Mukkolakkal.

Reena had been living in a flat on the floor below the victim’s own apartment. She had observed the latter frequently wearing gold ornaments, and had shared the information with Sheeba and Sarath. They had planned the robbery and had included Rajan and one Babu – whom Sarath had met in prison earlier – in their plan. Babu has not been arrested yet.

On Friday, they had gained entry into the apartment posing as waste collection staff, attacked the victim and forcibly removed a gold chain and six gold bangles. The elderly lady was alone in the apartment at the time of the incident. She later told reporters that she had been beaten mercilessly by the accused. After commiting the crime, the accused had gone into hiding in different places.

Following the incident, the police had cast a wide net for the accused. The investigating officers had examined surveillance camera footages and old criminal records of the accused. The victim had identified them from the CCTV footages. At least three of the accused have criminal backgrounds, according to the police. “The investigation so far shows that the accused had conspired to commit the crime. Further investigation is on by the special team constituted on Friday,” City Police Commissioner K. Karthick told reporters.

A team led by Deputy Police Commissioner Deepak Dhankher, Assistant Commissioner Gopakumar and Fort Inspector S.B. Praveen investigated the case and nabbed the accused.