CHENNAI: A suspected burglar died after jumping from the second floor of a house while fleeing the scene in Ponniamman Nagar, near Ponneri in Tiruvallur district, on Thursday night.
According to the Ponneri police, the unidentified man had entered the room of Malayappan, a native of Tirunelveli who lives alone on the second floor of a rented house. Malayappan works as a supervisor at a private firm, while his family resides in his hometown.
In the night, he had left his door open with only a mosquito net in place. He was woken up from sleep after sensing someone inside the room. Realising he had been spotted, the intruder allegedly snatched Malayappan's mobile phone and cash before jumping from a height of about 20 feet in an attempt to escape. However, he suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene itself.
The local residents alerted the police, who came to the spot and launched an inquiry. Initial investigations suggest the man jumped to avoid capture, said officials.
The deceased was later identified as Bhaskar (21) of Rettipalayam near Minjur, said officials, adding that the police were checking if he was involved in other thefts. The CCTV footage from the area is also being reviewed to check if he had any accomplices.