Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120352190300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Udhagamandalam

6 held; stolen goods recovered

Special Correspondent

They had struck in Manjoor, Kotagiri and Aruvankadu
Valuables had been stolen from houses and temples

Udhagamandalam: In connection with a series of robberies and burglaries in various parts of the district, six persons have been arrested.

Stating this to newspersons here on Monday, the Superintendent of Police, the Nilgiris A.G.Babu said that over the last few months a number of houses and temples in places like Manjoor, Kotagiri, Aruvankadu, Dhenaducombai and Ooty had been burgled.

On Friday a three-member gang armed with a country made gun and knives had waylaid one Ramachandran at Onikandi bazaar near Manjoor.

After threatening him, they had taken away his wrist watch and some cash.

Members of a special team headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police S.Munusu fanned out and nabbed C.Ganesan (27), C.Nataraj (31) and S .Murugan (23) at Geddhai, near Manjoor.

The culprits who were allegedly involved in the Onikandi incident belonged to Aroor taluk in Dharmapuri district.

The stolen items, gun etc. were recovered from them.

Based on the information provided by them, their accomplices K.Kumar (26) K.Sait (24) and A.Maadhu also of Aroor were arrested from a lodge at Kotagiri.

Various items including jewels and idols stolen from houses and temples in places like Onikandi and Annamalai were recovered from the burglars.

To a question, Mr.Babu said that the culprits were involved in twelve cases.

Pointing out that C. Nataraj had also served a sentence under the Goondas Act, he said that C.Ganesan was a hoodlum involved in a number of assault cases at Dharmapuri.