Chennai
The robbers used a small crow bar to break open the front door and when house owner Madhiyarasu, a resident of Mahalakshmi Avenue, Tiruvanmiyur, got up, they attacked him with a knife. Police said Madhiyarasu, who owns three bars in the locality and is also in the business of money lending with a daily interest collection, seemed to have resisted the attempts of the group and was attacked. Hearing his loud cries, his wife, his brother-in-law, two daughters and his niece rushed to the spot.
All of them were threatened at knife point and tied up by the masked robbers. Police said six persons had entered the house and forcefully collected the keys of the bureaus, threatening to kill the inmates if they protested and took away the gold jewellery and cash. Police suspect that the gang could have come in a car and some more could have waited outside.
The gang broke in to the house around 2.30 am and spent around 45 minutes. Police said they escaped around 3.15 am. The inmates cried out for help as soon as the gang left the place and the neighbours rushed to the spot.
When informed, Tiruvanmiyur police personnel and other senior police officials came to the spot. They alerted all the check-posts and toll booths. However, there is no breakthrough as yet. The inmates told the police that robbers were wearing gloves. The fingerprint experts who were brought to the scene could not get any samples, sources said. Four special teams have been formed under the guidance of four assistant commissioners of police.
Police have collected a private CCTV footage from the street and are analysing the details. Sources said police could not trace the registration number of the car used by the robbers. Meanwhile, police suspect previous enmity could be the reason behind the robbery and there might have been disputes over money lending by Madhiyarasu. This angle is also being probed. Police said Madhiyarasu sustained a cut injury in his hand when the assailants whipped up a knife just to scare him. He has recovered well in a nearby hospital.
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