Coimbatore: Two of the four members of a gang that killed a youth while attempting to snatch a mobile phone from him surrendered in a court on Tuesday morning.
On November 26, Vignesh, 24, a native of Theni district and his colleague Sujit from Valparai were riding on a motorcycle to their room at SIHS colony when a four-member gang waylaid them. They demanded mobile phones and cash from the two. When Vignesh refused, one of the gang members stabbed Vignesh on his neck leaving him dead.
Police formed special teams and were on the lookout for the four. Meanwhile, two of the accused, Abhi Vishnu, 22, from Thatchanthottam and Singaravelan, 21, from Masakalipalayam appeared before the judicial magistrate court II and surrendered.
Meanwhile, three habitual offenders wanted in connection with several theft cases were nabbed by police during a vehicle check on Tuesday.
Police said they were conducting a vehicle check to nab the accused in bikes stolen from Idigarai Govindanaickenpalayam, when they intercepted a SUV. But the vehicle did not stop and began speeding away. However, police managed to stop the vehicle, which had three passengers.
The three were identified as N Senthilkumar, 52, S Manikandan, 22, from Kalipalayam near Vellamadai and I Abibulla alias Mohamed from Sirumigai. The three were notorious thieves with several theft cases in Periyanaickenpalayam, Kovilpalayam, Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Coonoor, Aliyar, Coimbatore city and other places.
When police questioned the trio, they found that it was Senthil Kumar, Manikandan and Mohamed who stole the bikes from at least five places in rural Coimbatore, gold coins and jewels from a house at Thanneerpandal, five sovereign gold from another house at Solakattupalayam besides stealing from few more houses. Police said that the total value of the stolen goods was more than Rs seven lakh.
The trio revealed the place where some of the stolen goods were hidden. Police recovered those goods. They were produced before a judicial magistrate court and remanded.