CB-CID said that the mastermind of the heist, Mohar Singh, a native of Guna district in Madhya Pradesh, had shot down two members of his rival gang before moving to south India along with his gang members. The gang came to Tamil Nadu in 2016 and stayed in various places including Villupuram, Tindivanam, Vriddhachalam, Salem, Pondicherry and Arakkonam.

The gang members stayed near railway stations, tracks, under the over bridges, on the roadside. After learning about the movement of cash in Salem -Chennai train route through one of their gang members who was staying in Salem, the gang members conducted reconnaissance on this train route by travelling between Ayothiapattinam and Vriddhachalam railway stations repeatedly for more than a week. They decided to operate between Chinnasalem and Vriddhachalam railway stations since the train was running for more than 45 minutes without any halt in between on this stretch. As per the plan, Mohar Singh and four other associates got on to the train in Chinnasalem.

They went on to the roof of the money wagon and cut a hole in the roof while the train was on the move using a battery operated cutter and manual cutter. Two of them entered inside the wagon, broke open the wooden boxes, took cash bundles, wrapped them in six lungis and tied them. Other members of the gang, including Mahesh Pardi, were waiting at the trackside stretching over 200 metres at Vayalur overbridge near Vriddhachalam railway station. When the train was moving on this stretch of curved track while approaching the Vriddhachalam railway station, those on the rooftop of the slow-moving train threw the cash bundles towards the other gang members waiting on the ground. Then they jumped off the train in the same stretch and fled the scene.

Due to lack of time, they could not take more cash. They had a time constraint as the task of cutting open the roof and breaking open the wooden boxes took more time. The gang had to complete the heist before train reached the Vayalur overbridge area, the landmark fixed by them during reconnaissance to get down as the overhead electric lines begin there.

Upon interrogation, the accused Mohar Singh has also revealed that the cash looted was shared among his gang members after reaching their village. The arrested accused persons claimed that much of the cash that they got as their share became useless due to demonetisation of Rs 500 currency note within three months of the heist. Hence they destroyed by the notes.

The five accused H Mohar Singh, Rusi Pardi, Mahesh Pardi, Kaliya @ Krishna and Biltya – all belonging to Pardi tribe and arrested recently from Madhya Pradesh – were in the custody of CB-CID since October 30 till Monday. All the five were produced before XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet after completion of the police custody period. They were sent to judicial custody till November 24 and lodged in Puzhal prison on Monday.