After the murder of a pawnbroker in Maduravoyal in April, the city witnessed yet another murder in a pawn shop on Thursday.
A gang killed a 17-year-old salesperson by slitting his throat in a jewellery shop in Madipakkam and robbed nearly one kilogram of gold and cash from a locker.
According to police sources, the incident took place at Sri Balaji Bankers and Jewellers located in Sadhasivam Nagar on Bazaar Road which is owned by Mohan Lal. The shop is located in a busy complex alongside a hardware store shop and a photostat shop and the area bustles with heavy traffic.
Six months ago, the victim, Madan Singh, a native of Rajasthan, was employed as a salesperson. Every morning, the owner and the teenager would open the shop and attend to business. Later, around noon, they would close the shop and return to the shop after lunch.
On Thursday, the two came to the shop in the morning but after lunch Lal allegedly stayed back at home stating that his wife was unwell. Madan Singh came to the shop and was taking care of business. According to police sources, the gang entered the shop between 3.30 p.m. and 4.45 p.m. posing as customers mortgaging gold jewellery.
They then downed the shutter and threatened Madan Singh at knife point and asked him to direct them to the room behind the shop where the locker was placed. After looting close to one kilogram of gold and some cash they slit Madan Singh’s throat and fled the spot.
The incident came to light around 5.30 p.m. when a customer walked in to find Madan Singh dead. Shopkeepers nearby alerted the police.
“Some jewellery was lying scattered in the locker room but the jewellery on display was untouched. There were no CCTV cameras or supporting hard disks at the scene of crime. We are not aware if they were removed by the gang or they were not fitted on the premises,” said an investigating officer.
The owner Mohan Lal was questioned.
