Chennai: Four steal diamonds worth crores; get arrested within 12 hours

Chennai: In a true filmy-style chase spanning 610 km from Chennai to Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu Police on Monday arrested a four-member gang, which fled from here with diamonds worth Rs 20 crore after assaulting a merchant inside a famous hotel.

The gang comprising John Lloyd, Vijay, Ratheesh, and Arun Pandiarajan, aged between 24 and 34 -- residents of Chennai and Ramanathapuram respectively -- assaulted S Chandrasekar, the diamond merchant, inside the hotel room during a staged "business deal" before making their getaway.

The four accused had approached Chandrasekar to buy the diamonds and inspect them at the latter’s house in upscale Anna Nagar on May 3. The accused then told Chandrasekar that the deal can be closed on Sunday and asked him to meet them at the hotel in Vadapalani to handover the diamonds and take cash from them.

However, Chandrasekar realised that the “deal” was nothing but a trap when he entered the hotel room. Police said the four accused assaulted him physically and tied him to a chair in the room and escaped with diamonds worth Rs 20 crore. “We came to know about the incident only when the diamond merchant screamed for help and was saved by the hotel staff. Following a formal complaint from Chandrasekar, Vadapalani Police registered a case and began investigation,” a senior police officer told DH.

Four special teams were constituted, and they fanned out across the state on Sunday evening. Reviewing CCTV footage from the hotel and public areas, police identified the gang’s escape vehicle—a jeep—and its registration number.

“It was after a 12-hour chase, one special team with help from Thoothukudi Police stopped the jeep near Pudur Pandiyapuram check post and arrested the accused. The accused first pleaded innocence, but we checked the vehicle and found the stolen diamonds,” the officer added.

The special team followed the vehicle in which the accused were present but kept missing them at many places. “Finally, we caught them in Thoothukudi,” the officer said, adding that they are being brought to Chennai to be produced before a court.