Chennai: A 36-year-old man jumped into the Cooum river along Langs Garden Road in Chintadripet on Friday after he was picked up by the city police who were on the trail of his younger brother. His brother had managed to flee from the police during the small hours of Wednesday after he was picked up carrying over a dozen mobile phones.
The plight of Arun (36), resident of Chinthadripet who jumped into the Cooum is uncertain since the efforts to locate him by the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services had not fructified yet. Arun who was living with his wife Sudha and their three children was upset when Kannagi Nagar police came looking on Friday for his brother Arputharaj (27), resident of Kannagi Nagar.
Arun told the cops he was not aware where his brother Arputharaj was , but assured to produce him before the cops if they wanted him to. However, the cops reportedly insisted that he come with them for interrogation to help trace his brother, who they believed must have been holed up in one of their relatives' houses.
Unable to convince the cops, Arun excused himself from them to go wear a shirt and he escaped through the backdoor.
By the time the cops realised they had been tricked, they spotted Arun taking to his heels along the Langs Garden Road. As the cops chased him, he picked up pace and got into Cooum river before the cops could reach him.
When the cops reached the Cooum river bank, Arun had vanished.
The cops sought the help of the TNFRS personnel who launched a search in the river. The search lasted late into the night. However, no trace of him was found at the time of going to press.
Sudha squarely blamed the cops for having orchestrated the whole episode and held them accountable should anything have happened to her husband. She also preferred a complaint with Chinthadripet Police who took the complaint and a man missing case was registered subsequently.
Kannagi Nagar Police maintained that they heard passersby observe that they saw someone climbing out of the other bank of the Cooum around the same time when Arun jumped into it. Cops believe that Arun must have made good his escape.
On Wednesday, Arputharaj was picked up in a vehicle check near Thoraipakkam when he was found carrying nearly a dozen mobile phones, all believed to be stolen.
He managed to give the slip when he was made to alight from the patrol vehicle after reaching the police station under the cover of darkness.
