Coimbatore heist: Police recover 5 kg of gold

Sources said Praveena, who masterminded the robbery, had buried the gold in a pit in the backyard of her mother’s house at Batlagundu in Dindigul district.

Sources said the special team of police, probing into the case, reached Batlagundu and recovered the valuables on Friday. They managed to seize five kg of the stolen gold, while the remaining gold given as share in the loot to other members of the gang is yet to be recovered.

Police said Praveena (35) and her husband Dinakaran (37) executed the robbery with an intention to lead a lavish life. “The couple, who own eight houses in Seeranaickenpalayam area, were already financially well-off. They had rented out all the houses. Yet, Praveena desired to lead a lavish life,” they said. 

Apart from the couple, police have also secured Venkatesh of Narasipuram, Shelton and Mohanraj of Kulathupalayam and Karthi of Thondamuthur in connection with the robbery. Two more persons are at large, and a search is on to nab them and recover the remaining gold.

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 near Peelamedu 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.