CHENNAI: The city police arrested three youths on Monday for diverting a 72-year-old woman and robbing her jewellery by pretending to help her on Paper Mills Road.

Last Friday, Nizamunissha (72) of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar went to the branch of a nationalised bank on Paper Mills Road to withdraw her pension. As she was walking back home along Theetti Thottam, three youths approached her. One of the trio told her that the street ahead was crowded and that it was not safe to walk wearing a gold chain, and offered to safely wrap her chain.

Believing them, Nizamunissha gave her two-sovereign jewellery to them, who gave her a wrapped parcel with sand and stones. Only after reaching home and opening the package she realised that she was conned and filed a police complaint.

The Thiru Vi Ka Nagar police registered a case and arrested the suspects- Kalimullah (20) of Kodungaiyur, Appu alias Yukesh (19) of Theetti Thottam in Perambur, and Dineshkumar (19) of Pulianthope. Two of them already have cases against them, and the accused had melted the stolen gold immediately.

The arrested persons were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.