Coimbatore: The Coimbatore district police arrested a six-member waylaying gang that drove away a lorry along with Rs 20 lakh worth coconuts after threatening the driver at knifepoint, thanks to the GPS instrument fitted in the truck.
Police said on Tuesday that Prakash, 39, a resident of Chennai Poroor owns a lorry with Manohar, 30, a native of Villupuram working as the driver.
Manohar came down to Pollachi on November 11 night after loading the lorry with 10.5 tonnes of coconuts at Meenakshipuram. He was heading back to Chennai. While crossing Negamam at around 9.30 pm a six-member gang in a car and motorcycle blocked the lorry. After threatening Manohar at knifepoint, they got into the lorry and drove it away after shifting Manoharan to their car, police said.
While crossing Palladam on the Tiruchy road the gang pushed Manoharan out from the running car and fled. Manoharan escaped with minor injuries, ran towards a nearby petrol pump and called up the lorry owner Prakash.
On information, district police tracked the lorry using the GPS device installed in it. Police found the lorry on Monday night parked inside a godown on Tiruchy road, and the six-member gang downloading the coconuts in the godown.
The gang members were arrested and identified as Venkatesh Kumar, 25, from Kovilpalayam, Hariprasad, 26, Gokul, 25, from Pollachi, Manikandan 23, Abdul Rehman 23, and Santhosh, 20.
Further investigations are on.
