Police solve Kovai gold heist case, woman among five held

Addressing newspersons, City Police Commissioner Sumit Saran said, “We have secured five members of the gang, including a woman. Three others have gone underground. A search is on to nab them too.”

The incident happened when Prithvi Singh (26), an employee of a private air parcel firm, was proceeding to the Coimbatore International Airport in a bike. He was carrying around 5.75 kg of gold jewels, when a three-member gang attacked him and escaped with the jewels.

Sources said the gold jewels manufactured by firms in Coimbatore were usually dispatched through the parcel firm by flight to customers in Mumbai. In the aftermath of the heist, five special teams of police were formed to trace the culprits. They suspected the role of parcel firm staff as the latter were aware that Prithvi Singh was inpossession of a huge quantity of gold.

Relying on the CCTV video grab, gathered for a 10-km stretch from the parcel office at Mill Road to the crime spot in Peelamedu, police found three helmet wearingmen following Prithvi Singh in bikes.

The culprits have done a recce for about five days before executing their plan, police said, adding that they scrutinised thousands of phone calls before narrowing down on a call made from the parcel office.

“The caller turned out to be a woman, identified as Praveena from Seeranaickenpalayam, who was aware of the parcels being sent by air. She had informed her husband Dinakaran about the gold consignment, who in turn took the help of his six friends to execute her plan,” police said. Three other secured persons were identified as Karthik, Shelton and Mohan Raj. Further inquiries are on to seize the stolen gold, while a search is on to nab the remaining culprits, who were on the run.