3 held for robbing SI, friend at gunpoint

Police arrested three of the four accused persons who robbed a police officer and his friend at gunpoint, and recovered a firearm belonging to late history sheeter Velu from them.

Sub-inspector AK Girish, who was then working with the High Grounds police station and later transferred to Mahalakshmi Layout, and his friend Haridas were driving on Rhenius Street, off Richmond Road, during the early hours of July 20, when four men on two motorcycles accosted them and got into an altercation.

In the melee, the miscreants fired two rounds in the air with the revolver and robbed Girish and his friend. When they tried to retaliate, the miscreants stabbed Haridas’s right thigh with a dagger and decamped with their valuables.

Following the incident, Girish filed a complaint with the Ashok Nagar police station, and three teams were formed to nab the culprits. In the course of investigation, police managed to arrest three of the accused persons—Gautham, who is the brother-in-law of late history sheeter Velu, Karthik and Vasudevan—while the fourth suspect, Raju, is still at large.

The perpetrators reportedly confessed to the crime, and added that they had been to Goa after they robbed three mobile phones, Rs 9000 in cash and a wallet containing credit and debit cards from Girish and Haridas. Police seized the revolver, a dragger and a bike from the miscreants.

Incidentally, Velu was murdered by a rival gang in November 2011, following which, his nephew, Gowtham, took his illegal firearm and used it to commit robberies. Police claimed that the accused were involved in several cases, including over five robbery cases and attempt to murder. Further investigations in progress.