In a case of stealing the car reported in the city, a duo travelling in a private taxi sped away in the vehicle after making its driver unconscious by spraying some liquid on his face and pushed him out of the car.
The City Police have sounded an alert to various districts falling within the central and south zones in a bid to trace the stolen car and apprehend the culprits.
The police sources said two persons hired a taxi in Chennai on Friday night to go to Batlagundu in Dindigul district. The vehicle was driven by D. Suresh (30) of Mogappair in Chennai.
As the car reached Pirattiyur on the Tiruchi – Dindigul National Highway in the early hours, the two, aged around 45 and 30, asked the driver to take a left turn claiming that they would have to pick up some of their relatives. There was another vehicle that joined the car at Perambalur.
When the driver stopped the vehicle, one of the culprits covered the face of Suresh with a piece of cloth while another sprayed liquid on his face rendering him unconscious. The culprits had later pushed the driver out of the car and sped away in the vehicle. While escaping they were suspected to have changed the number plate.
Upon regaining consciousness about 30 minutes later, Suresh to check post -1 at Karumandapam situated close by and informed the police personnel about the offence.
The information was immediately conveyed to the higher ups and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (law and order) Abhinav Kumar inspected the crime scene and conducted inquiries.
The E. Pudur police have registered a case under IPC section 394 (robbery).
The sources said over 100 photographs of criminals involved in such modus operandi across the State were collected and shown to the driver in a bid to establish the identity of the culprits.
Inquiries were conducted with the car owner Kulandaivelu of Chennai after he landed in the city. Special teams have been formed to probe the case, said Mr. Abhinav Kumar.