Tamil Nadu: Jewels, cash worth Rs 20 lakh stolen from house in Erode

An unidentified gang allegedly broke into the house of a retired teacher and decamped with gold jewels weighing 60 sovereigns and cash Rs 20 lakhs, police said on Monday.

The incident came to light when the owner of the house located at Sathyamangalam Rajivnagar, Joseph (62), who had gone to Chennai with his family had returned to Sathyamangalam yesterday evening. He was shocked to find the front door of the house broken open and when he entered it, he found 60 sovereigns of gold jewels and cash Rs 20 lakh kept inside the almirah missing.

Joseph immediately lodged a complaint with the police. Fingerprint experts and sniffer dogs were pressed into service. A case has been registered, police said adding that special teams have been formed to nab the criminals.

In another incident, a woman was relieved of her nine-sovereign gold chain by two unknown persons who came on a motorcycle, in Siruvalur village, about 40 kms from Erode. The incident took place on Sunday evening when Parvathy was coming in a two-wheeler near Siruvalur village, and two persons who came on a motorcycle dashed against her vehicle, causing Parvathy to fall down. Immediately, one of the suspects snatched the nine sovereign gold chain from her and escaped before she could raise an alarm. Based on a complaint, police have registered a case.