Kerala - Kollam   

Three held for robbery; revolver, bullets seized

By Our Staff Reporter

The arrested duo Rajeev and Joemon.

KOLLAM, FEB. 10. The Kollam East police have arrested three persons in connection with a hold-up on the night of October 9, 2004 at Keralapuram near here in which a four-member gang had looted 100 sovereigns of gold ornaments from a jewellery shopowner.

A .22 calibre country made revolver, 75 bullets and a portion of the stolen ornaments have been recovered from those arrested.

Chilly powder sprayed

The shopowner was waylaid while returning home with the ornaments after closing his shop. The ornaments were looted after spraying chilly powder into his eyes and firing the revolver in the air. Those arrested include a 36-year-old woman, Gracykutty, from Kumbalam near here. The identity of the other two were given as Rajeev and Joemon. The Kollam East Circle Inspector, R. Rajkumar, who arrested the trio said that Rajeev is the kingpin of the gang. The police are on the trail of two more members of the gang involved in the hold-up.

The Kollam Dy.SP., M. N. Jayaprakash, who supervised the investigations, said that Rajeev is an accused in a murder case at Chetput in Chennai. He was arrested by the Chennai police in this connection and is presently out on bail. He said that Rajeev led a gang of hirelings who were rough and ready to do any criminal activity including murder. With the money earned from the Chennai contract killing, Rajeev had taken on lease the Rainbow Resort at Papanasam in Varkala. The revolver and bullets were seized from this resort.

The country revolver and bullets seized from Rajeev.

Mr. Rajkumar said that Rajeev is the son of a police constable dismissed from service. The gang hatched plots for criminal activities at Gracy's house. A portion of the loot was shared by her. Rajeev and Joemon were taken into custody during a random vehicle check by the police. They were riding a stolen Bullet motorcycle which did not have any records. Interrogations led to the duo confessing about their involvement in the October 9 hold-up.

The disclosures made by the duo led to the arrest of Gracy early this morning. It was from her that the police recovered the ornaments. The police said that Gracy's husband, Joy, is an accused in a double murder case registered by the Kundara police.

Hunt for blacksmith

The investigating police team also comprised Sub Inspectors, Babu, Sudheeran, Sidhique and Ismailkutty. All those arrested were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court and remanded. Mr. Jayaprakash said that the police have registered a separate case against Rajeev for being in possession of the revolver and bullets.

He had confessed to the police that the revolver was made by a blacksmith based at Anchal. The blacksmith in question will be arrested, the police said.

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