Robbery accused nabbed within an hour, cash rewards to four policemen

Tirupur: The Tirupur city police have nabbed three robbery accused within an hour of the incident after receiving the alert through the Emergency helpline number 100 on Wednesday. Though the robbed properties' value was comparatively less, the four police personnel were rewarded with cash awards for their rapid and intellectual response.

While highlighting the moral of this story, the dollar city top cops have emphasized the importance of being assertive and proper utilisation of the police emergency helpline number.

Ajay Pekra and Bolaram Naik are the natives of Bihar. They have migrated to the city several months ago. They have been staying in AB Nagar near 15 Velampalayam and working in a knitwear garment manufacturing unit. After completing their work, they reached home early Wednesday morning. When Ajay was speaking over phone outside of their house, the other also accompanied him, said the police sources.

Three people - C Jeeva, 24, B Dinesh, 22, and a minor - threatened the two migrant labourers in knifepoint before snatching a cellphone, worth Rs 7,300, and Rs 2,300 from the latter. Soon after the incident, Ajay alerted the police at the helpline by from Bolaram's cell phone.

Immediately, head constable Sankar Prabhu and constables Suresh, Prasad and Mohan, who all were in two-wheeler night patrolling, were assigned to arrest the accused. They reached the spot in AB Nagar within few minutes. On seeing them, the three accused fled away in different directions. The policemen chased Dinesh and the minor for about two kilometres but they managed to escape into a coconut grove, G Annadurai, Tirupur north assistant commissioner told TOI.

But when the policemen were returning to the spot, they found that a youth was sleeping on pavement half-naked (without shirt). While questioning him, the policemen noticed that he was sweating and it raised suspicion. Eventually, the youth, who was identified as Jeeva of Samundipuram, confessed to the police that he along with two of his friends involved in the crime, said Annadurai.

"It was found that when the police chased, Jeeva unworn his shirt (to avoid being identified) and hid the robbed properties including the cash in bushes, and he pretended to be sleeping. But the four policemen used their presence of mind and caught him. Within another half an hour, they also nabbed two other accused Dinesh of Valaiyangadu and the minor from Samundipuram," he added.

Appreciating their work, city police commissioner P Nagarajan honoured them with cash award of Rs 1,250 each to all the four policemen.