Inspector Munisekhar back on duty, taken off Kolathur heist case

In his first-ever interaction with the media after the incident, the inspector told DT Next that he reported to duty on January 17 after completely recovering from the injuries. “The stitches on the nose have healed, but there is a slight pain on the forehead. Otherwise, I am alright,” said Munisekhar.

The officer, who was part of the Chennai police team that went to Pali, Rajasthan, to nab Kolathur jewellery heist accused Nathuram and his aides, was injured while retreating from burglars’ hideout on December 13. When asked, Munisekhar said he was relieved of the case; Rajamangalam inspector Rajkumar is handling the case after the incident. Though he denied there being any restrictions on him from talking about what happened that night, Munisekhar refused to discuss the shooting incident as the case is being handled by Rajasthan police. “Both Periyapandian and I were part of the team that managed to enter the village and arrest Nathuram’s father and two others,” he said. Nathuram was finally arrested by Rajasthan police from Gujarat a month after that incident, and was brought to Chennai last week.

The suspects in Kolathur jewellery heist case, Nathuram and his associates Dinesh Choudhry and Baktharam, were sent to the custody of Rajamangalam police by a metropolitan magistrate court in Egmore on Tuesday. Chennai police had on Monday approached the 13th metropolitan magistrate court in Egmore seeking custody of Nathuram and associates in connection with the heist case. The magistrate also permitted the police team to take the suspects to Bengaluru and Rajasthan for inquiry if needed to recover the loot. Nathuram and his companions allegedly carried out the day time heist of 3.5 kg gold, silver and cash in a jewellery shop Kolathur.