COIMBATORE: Two persons were arrested for attempting to rob a jewellery shop by spraying chilli powder mixed with water on the shopkeepers in Salem on Thursday night.

Sixty-two-year-old Vaideeshwaran from Attur was running a jewellery shop on the Bazaar Street in Attur.

Around 8.30 pm, he was in the shop along with his wife, Senbagalakshmi (50), and staff B Vasanthi (55), when two persons came by posing as customers.

Even though the couple and their staff showed different models of jewels, the duo remained unconvinced and did not make any purchase despite spending a long time in the shop.

Since it was closing time, Vaideeshwaran asked his staff to keep the jewels inside, when suddenly one of them took out a bottle of water mixed with chilli powder and poured it on his face.

The other person also sprayed some chemical substance on Senbagalakshmi and the other staff.

As the duo attempted to flee with some jewels, Vaideeshwaran and the two women cried out for help.

Soon, the public caught the duo after a chase and thrashed them severely before handing them over to the Attur police station.

After inquiries, the police identified one of them as Murthy (40) from Siruvachur near Thalaivasal, while the other person, whose identity is yet to be known, has been admitted to Attur Government Hospital for treatment after he fainted.

A case has been registered, and further inquiries are on.