Eight tanker hijackers held

Investigating a series of hijack and extortions in which oil tankers that carry fuel from the refineries in north Chennai were targeted, city police tracked and arrested eight people who were hiding in The Nilgiris district.  

The police team seized a pistol, three bullets and a large number of fake identity cards, including those identifying the gang members as police, revenue intelligence, lawyer, advocate, and even oil company official from them. Besides, cars, mobile phones including smartphones, cash, machetes, knives and chilli spray were recovered from the gang. 

The police here launched a hunt after receiving a number of complaints that a gang was targeting oil tankers that ferry fuel from IOC, BPCL and CPCL to the city airport and other parts of the city, extorting money from them at gunpoint. The gang was active in Madhavaram and other parts of north Chennai.

During investigations, a team comprising Washermanpet Assistant Commissioner Muthukumar and inspector Jawahar Peter zeroed in on ‘Oil’ Balaji, and his aides including Imran and six others as suspects. All of them have cases against them at various police stations in the city. 

According to police, Balaji used to work in an oil transport company. Using contacts he had developed, he tracked the movement of tankers. He passed on the information to Imran, who organised the gang to intercept lorries at gunpoint. The fake identity cards were used to threaten the drivers. Then, the vehicle owner is contacted seeking extortion money to release the vehicle and consignment, said police officers, explaining the modus operandi. 

The police team then tracked the gang’s location using mobile phone tower data. When they were found to be hiding in The Nilgiris, a city police team headed there and arrested the suspects, police said on Friday. 

Police suspect Imran obtained the pistol from Praveen of Perambur, who was arrested in January along with his friend in Vepery, in connection with alleged smuggling of guns from Malda, West Bengal. 

Official sources said they suspected that the gang started targeting tanker lorry contractors, as some of them were allegedly involved in adulteration and pilferage.