As many as 13 people, who went on a pickpocketing spree targeting the DMK cadre who had assembled outside Kauvery Hospital in anticipation of news about ailing party patriarch M. Karunanidhi’s health, were apprehended on Tuesday.
Muthukumar, a resident of Pudupet, was caught red-handed as he tried to blend into a crowd of DMK cadre and pickpocket a party member. Around ₹60,000, mobile phones and a watch were found in his possession.
Following the incident, the police intensified their vigil and nabbed 12 more offenders. Their interrogation revealed that they hailed from different districts and had met in prison. They often targeted party cadre who gathered in large numbers on special occasions like the birthday or the anniversary of their leaders.