CHENNAI: The Selaiyur police on Saturday arrested four men who allegedly stole goats grazing in the suburbs and sold the meat to butcher shops.
For several weeks, farmers in Tambaram, Selaiyur, Medavakkam, Vengaivasal, and nearby areas had reported livestock going missing. On August 16, Panneerselvam, a farmer from Vengaivasal, complained that four of his goats had disappeared while grazing. The police examined CCTV footage, which showed four men arriving in a car, luring the goats, and loading them into the vehicle. Using the registration number, the police traced and arrested the driver, Arun Kumar (29) of Pallavakkam; Augustine (25), a butcher from Kannagi Nagar; Balakrishnan (40); and Thariq Rahman (42) of Neelankarai.
Police said the gang had stolen at least 13 goats in recent weeks, using rented cars and changing vehicles each time to avoid detection. They sold the meat to shops in the suburbs. The accused are already facing similar cases in Neelankarai and Kolathur police stations.
All four were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.