Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Two held for murder of moneylender

CHENNAI: Two youths belonging to Rajasthan have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a pawn broker Motilal (50) at Hasthinapuram Main Road, Chromepet, last month. A total of 2.5 kg of gold was recovered from the accused.

The victim was found dead in his shop under mysterious circumstances at around 9 a.m. on April 26. He was lying in a pool of blood with multiple injuries in the head. A safe was also found open.

Preliminary inquiries suggested that some persons known to the moneylender may have gained entry into the shop, committed the crime and fled the spot. Initially, the police were informed that the jewellery kept in the locker was intact and that it was a case of murder.

However, the arrest of the two accused identified as Nathuram (28) and Dinesh Chaudhury (27) of Pattabiram and their confessions led to the detection of 2.5 kg of gold jewellery.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Commissioner of Police G. Nanchil Kumaran said four special teams were formed under the supervision of Joint Commissioner of Police G. Durairaj to secure the accused.

The police felt that the crime may have been committed either by somebody known to Motilal or by persons who had previous enmity with him or by a gang which indulged in theft and burglaries as Motilal was in the habit of buying “stolen jewellery.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (St. Thomas Mount) V. Varadharaju said that the police recovered some blood stained clothes from the scene of crime. This gave a lead that the murder could have been committed by some North Indian who resided in the same locality.

When the special teams zeroed in on Nathuram, he admitted to having committed the crime along with Dinesh Chaudhury and Gundurat. As Motilal refused to part with money they wanted, the trio killed him, the police said. A hunt is on to secure Gundurat alias Babu who is suspected to have escaped to Rajasthan.

Mr. Kumaran further said that the special teams which went in search of the accused in connection with the murder case also secured Raja alias Sulai Raja, Bullet Pandian alias Pandian and Satish alias Surya.

Based on their confessions, the police realised that the trio had allegedly killed a railway employee identified as Ramu and abandoned the body at a lake near Chengalpattu on April 17. Similarly, they had also killed Varadan, a habitual offender near Meenambakkam Railway Station on April 18 owing to previous enmity.

The weapons used for committing the two crimes were also recovered, the Commissioner said.

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