Coimbatore: Prisoners coming out on bail seem to be giving a headache to the city police by increasingly indulging in crimes. In fact, they gang up in jails, where they hatch plans to commit crimes once they walk out on bail.
In one such incident, a private security guard who came out of the city central prison where he was lodged after being caught in a mobile phone snatching case, along with a chain snatcher he befriended in jail and his minor friend, murdered an elderly man to steal gold and cash from him.
City deputy commissioner of police (crime) E S Uma said Jebamani Ambrose, 24, of Viswasapuram near Valliyur in Tirunelveli district, was caught for mobile phone snatching three months ago and lodged in the central prison. “He was employed by 83-year-old Krishnasamy, of Trichy Road at Singanallur, as a security guard of his house, where he was staying alone.”
In jail, Ambrose befriended R Vikram, 21, of Karaikudi, who was arrested two months ago for chain snatching. “He told the latter that Krishnasamy was residing alone and his daughter was settled in the US. They hatched a conspiracy to murder Krishnasamy once they walk out of jail on bail. On October 1, the duo, along with a 17-year-old boy, murdered Krishnasamy and took away Rs12,000, a car and some gold ornaments,” the officer said.
Incidents such as this, Uma said, had forced them to monitor prisoners, who come out on bail, closely. “If they move to other districts, we exchange their information to police there.”
Three elderly people were murdered during the burglary attempt in the city in the past two months alone. Pointing out that elderly people were always easy targets of burglars, she said, “If they resist, burglars would murder them. So, we are also closely monitoring the elderly people in the city.”
The city law & order police said they had been creating database of elderly couple. G Stalin, city deputy commissioner of police (law & order), said, “We have collected details of around 700 elderly people so far. Some of them are residing alone and others as couples. We have installed the Kavalan mobile application on their mobile phones and they could get immediate help from us if they just shake their mobile phones. Beat police officers are also visiting their residences often.”
He also called on people to inform them of elderly people residing alone in their neighbourhood. “It will help us monitor them and protect them from burglars.”