A notorious gang from Haryana, carrying money looted from ATMs in neighbouring Kerala in a container truck was nabbed by the Namakkal police after a hot chase in which one was shot dead and another sustained bullet injuries on Friday.
The deceased was identified as Zuman (40), the container’s driver and the injured, Azhar Ali. The other five have alson been arrested and are being interrogated at Veppadai Rpt Veppadai about 420 km north-west of Chennai near Komarapalayam town in Nammal District. It had all the elements of a Bollywoood crime thriller.
“The duo, Zuman, the deceased and the injured, Azhar Ali, while attempting to flee the police with the cash in a backpack near a rivulet, had attacked the cops with stones. The later, carrying the cash, faltered and fell down but failed to heed the warning to surrender. Inspector Thavamani, accompanying a Sub-inspector, opened fire in self defence,” Salem Range Deputy Inspector General ES Uma, accompanied by Namakkal Police Superintendent S Rajesh Kannan, told the media after visiting the crime scene.
On being alerted by their Kerala counterparts that the gang was fleeing with the looted cash in a car, the Namakkal police had stepped up vehicle check on the National Highway. But, a container sped past the check post the cops chased the vehicle proceeding towards Sankagiri. When police stopped vehiclular movement on that route, the container turned towards Erode. After a hot chase, the vehicle was finally stopped at Pachaipalayam under Veppanai police limits. By then, the container had hit a car and two bikes.The container and car with Delhi registration had been used for the robbery. On their way back after the loot, they had put the car inside the container to avoid detection.
“There were three people along with the driver in the driver’s cabin and while towing the container to the police station for enquiry, the cops heard sound from inside and asked Zuman to open the doors only to find two others and a car inside. The car concealed in the container was used for the ATM robbery. Of the two, Azhar Ali alerted Zuman to flee and they took to their heels after pushing down the cops. While Zuman died on the spot, Azhar Ali was injured in the leg,” the DIG explained adding, that the five others have been taken to the station for enquiry.
The DIG said the cash, all in Rs 500 denomination, has not been counted yet but, according to information received from Kerala police, the gang had looted three ATMs of the SBI and took Rs 30 lakh, 25 lakh and 10 lakh, respectively. The gang, hailing from two districts in Haryana, had used Google maps to locate ATMs, she added.
The injured Azhar Ali had been shifted to the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a team of Kerala police had landed at Veppadai Rpt Veppadai police station in connection with the inquiry in the case.