Robber nabbed at gunpoint, hunt on for aides

The accused, identified as Gopi alias Gopalakrishnan, also has murder and attempt to murder cases pending against him. He was arrested based on a complaint by a duo, said police.

When Ganeshkumar of Sivaganga and Muthuselvan of Pudukkottai, both mechanical engineers working in Pallikaranai, went to the Palavakkam beach on October 3, they were intercepted by a four-member gang. The gang members demanded the duo to part with their mobile phones at knifepoint. When they refused, one of the gang members slashed Muthuselvan’s hand with a machete. The gang then fled the spot with their mobile phones and cash. The duo lodged a complaint at the Neelankarai police station on the same day and after investigation, the police zeroed in on Gopi and his gang members as the suspects.

Meanwhile, the police received information that Gopi was roaming near the Akkarai tollgate and surrounded him. In a bid to escape from the police, Gopi jumped from a bridge and broke his hand. The police secured him at gunpoint and arrested him after giving him the first-aid. Two machetes and bikes were seized from him. The robbed mobile phones are with Gopi’s associates, police said, adding that a hunt has been launched for them.