Chennai: A day after inspector Periyapandian’s murder, police have arrested one of the main suspects in the Kolathur gold heist case — Dinesh Chowdry near Jodhpur.
The 20-year — old along with Nathuram were the primary suspects in the burglary in November in which a gang drilled a hole through the first floor of a jewellery store near Kolathur and escaped with 3.5 kg gold jewellery.
City police inspector S. Periyapandian, who was part of a special team sent to apprehend the burglars, was shot dead while trying to nab one of them at an abandoned brick kiln at a village in Pali district on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, a joint effort by the city police and Rajasthan police led to the arrest of Dinesh Chowdry near Bhilara village in Jodhpur district. Police sources said that Dinesh was not present in the scene when Inspector Periyapandian was shot dead.
Wednesday’s raid by the special team was to apprehend Nathuram, who along with his accomplices assaulted the police team and eventually shot one dead. Police had earlier arrested relatives of Nathuram - four of them in connection with the incident
On November 16, G. Mukesh Kumar (37) who runs Mahalakshmi jewelers on Cudappah road in New Lakshmipuram went for lunch when the gang who had rented a portion on the first floor of the jewellery store made way into the store by drilling a hole through the ceiling. Mukesh returned around 4 pm to find the jewellery missing after which police were informed.
The men had visited the jewellery shop and sought the portion in the first floor for rent to start a garment store there, police said. To convince that they were genuine, the gang even paid an advance amount of '30,000
