The police have arrested four persons of Theni district on Monday on charges of waylaying a goods van near Annur in the late hours of April 19, and taking away Rs. 11 lakh from the driver K. Baskar (69), of Gudalur.
The arrested were M. Mahendra Prabhu (32) of Karuvelnayakanpatti village who was a loadman in the godown where Baskar stocked pepper, his accomplices P. Sathish (26) of Kodangipatti who drove a car that blocked the goods van, M. Sathish Kumar (32), owner of an earth mover, and K. Veeraraghavan (26) of Kammakapatti.
Mahendra Prabhu hired the car in which they closely followed the van from Theni. They stopped the car in front of the van and picked a quarrel with Baskar, alleging that he hit the car. They forcefully took him in their car, and abandoned him at Attayampalayam Pirivu, near Avinashi in Tirupur district.
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According to the police, inquiry revealed that Mahendra Prabhu was desperately in need of money for a family function. He was earlier arrested for his alleged involvement in five theft cases. On information provided by Prabhu, the police team led by inspector T. Vetriventhan secured the three others too. The stolen money that was shared by the gang was recovered. A case has been registered under section 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code.