CHENNAI: A week after a gold jeweller from Karaikudi in Sivaganga, who was on a business visit to Chennai, was kidnapped and robbed of valuables worth several lakhs of rupees, the Egmore police have arrested six persons in connection with the case.

The complainant, R Ravichandran, runs a jewellery store in his hometown. According to his complaint, the gang robbed 131 gram gold jewellery, 1.25 kg silver articles, and Rs 31.4 lakh he was carrying.

On June 26, after placing orders for new jewellery, Ravichandran was waiting near a church on Pantheon Road to board a bus to his hometown when the gang bundled him into a car and drove away.

Ravichandran was assaulted inside the car and the gang snatched the cash bag and jewellery from him before pushing him out of the vehicle near Porur.

Ravichandran approached the Egmore police with a complaint, after which a case was registered. A police team led by inspector (crime) Vetriselvan conducted investigations and perused the CCTV footage near the spot from where Ravichandran was kidnapped and those along the route to ascertain the identity of the suspects.

It was found that most of those involved in the kidnap-robbery were from Sivaganga district, after which police teams were sent to Sivaganga to apprehend them.

On Wednesday, the police arrested six persons, Prabhu alias Kamal (36), Muthuramalingam (45), Dinakaran (36), Premkumar (38), Prabhu (42), from Sivaganga, and Muthulingam (42) of Melur, Madurai.

The police have recovered 203 gram gold jewellery, 3.2 kg silver articles and Rs 6.5 lakh in cash from the accused. Further investigations are under way to find out if they were involved in similar kidnap-robbery incidents.

Probe revealed that the gang were aware that Ravichandran used to visit Chennai thrice a week carrying cash to buy new jewellery and place orders for his store. They had followed him through the week to execute their plan, police said.

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