The Nilgiris district police have detained three suspects in connection with the murder of a security guard at the Kodanad Estate of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa a few days ago.
Sources said that one of the suspects was a Gudalur resident, while the others were from Kerala. Police had managed to trace the suspects as well as a sports utility vehicle — which they suspect was used during the attempted burglary — to a location in Kerala.
One of the men detained by the police is said to have entered the premises on a couple of occasions with the permission of the estate authorities. Police suspect that he could have used the opportunity to conduct a recce on the premises.
The Nilgiris district police have also launched a hunt for a man said to be the former driver of Jayalalithaa.
Police sources said that he could have also used the knowledge of the bungalow to plan an entry along with another person, said to be working at a bakery in Kuniyamuthur.
Meanwhile, based on information provided by the police, a senior government official in Chennai said that the suspects in the Kodanad dacoity case were apparently unaware of the high-profile nature of the property in question.
