The City Police on Wednesday said they arrested two members of a highway gang which preyed on couples hanging out in cars parked on roadsides.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shangumugham, A. R. Shanihan identified the accused as Vipin, 38, a resident of Korani in Attingal, and his associate, Anish, 23, a resident of Pettah.
He said Vipin scouted round the Shangumughom and Technopark localities in an autorickshaw looking for couples or groups fraternising inside parked cars.
On November 5, he stumbled upon a couple sitting inside a car parked near Venpalavattam in Pettah police station limit. He sneaked upon them and seized the keys of the vehicle. Then he accused them of behaving obscenely in a public place and threatened to call the police, rouse the locals and inform the press. He also videographed them on his mobile phone.
The police said they had received information on several such instances of an autorickshaw driver extorting money from couples. However, they could not get a specific complaint or any other clues regarding the identity of the suspect.
Demanded money
He demanded money from the panicked couple. The woman gave him her gold necklace and ring. The man paid him the money he had in his wallet.
Mr Shanihan said Anish soon joined him and threatened the couple further. They said they would post their video images in the social media and shame them if they dared to lodge a police complaint.
The police said the duo would have continued to operate unchallenged had it not been for the courage of the couple. The woman, a government employee, and the man reported the matter to the police.
They also described the suspects and gave law enforcers the autorickshaw’s number.
From Pettah
A police team arrested the suspects from a house in Pettah. The police charged them with robbery, intimidation and blackmail and remanded them in judicial custody for a period of 14 days. Sub Inspectors, Pettah, Sajukumar and Vinod, assisted the probe.
