TIRUCHY: An unidentified gang sprinkled chilli powder on a trader and made away with 7 kg of silver ornaments and bars worth Rs 5.50 lakh in Thanjavur on Friday.

A silver ornament vendor from Rajasthan, Kartharam Sukhdev (28), who had settled at Nanayakkara Chetty street near Thanjavur old bus stand, running a shop in the locality for the past several years was robbed by a 6-member gang coming in two bikes. Kartharam was reportedly carrying 12 kg of silver ornaments in a two wheeler and had distributed 5 kgs at various shops in Pudukkottai district and was proceeding to his house at South Alangam near old bus stand along with his assistant Asuram when he fell victim to the robbers.

The trader was attacked by the six-member gang which followed him. When Kartharam was nearing Thiruvalluvar Commercial Complex, the bike-borne gang over took Kartharam and reportedly sprinkled chilli powder and waylaid the traders. As the traders lost control of the bike and fell on the road, the robbers snatched the bag containing the silver articles and escaped.

Thanjavur West police reached the spot and conducted an investigation based on CCTV footage from the shops near the incident spot. The police said that the silver ornaments lost by Kartharam are worth Rs 5.50 lakh.

The traders were on their way to distribute 12 kg of silver to various jewel making units, when the bike-borne gang waylaid them and made away with Rs 5.50 lakh worth ornaments