Three accused who was on the run arrested in Puzhal dacoity case

Police have arrested three accused who was on the run in connection with a dacoity in Puzhal.

The accused gang barged into a businessman’s house, held the family at knifepoint, and fled with cash, gold jewellery, and silver articles worth several lakhs.

The incident took place in the early hours of January 30 at the residence of Vijayakumar, a wholesale textile trader operating in Manipur, at Mahaveer Garden Main Road, East Kavangarai, Puzhal. Vijayakumar lives with his wife Vasantha, their two daughters, and his mother.

According to police, six unidentified men wearing masks and caps and armed with knives forced their way into the house when Vasantha was stepping out for her morning walk. The gang threatened the family members at knifepoint, tied them up with ropes, assaulted them and issued death threats.

The assailants escaped with ₹25 lakh in cash, around 13 sovereigns of gold jewellery — including diamond-studded earrings, gold chains, bangles, bracelets — and about 250 grams of silver pooja articles from the prayer room. The suspects fled the scene in a car.

Based on a complaint lodged by Vasantha at the Puzhal Police Station, the Crime Investigation Wing arrested two accused — Rahul, 28, of Ennore and Praveenkumar, 28, of Puzhal — on February 2.

Following further investigation, police arrested three accused who was on the run on Monday. They were identified as Pugazhendhi, 25, of Vyasarpadi, Abhishek alias Chottu Abhishek, 20, of Tiruttani, and Johnson, 25, of Sholavaram. Police recovered eight sovereigns of gold jewellery and ₹3.5 lakh in cash from them.

Investigators found that Pugazhendhi is involved in five criminal cases, Abhishek alias Chottu Abhishek in seven cases, and Johnson in four cases.

Police said efforts are under way to trace and arrest the remaining accused.