Cook spikes ex-employers’ food to loot valuables, nabbed

The accused, identified as R Sujan (24), was working as both security guard and cook at Srinivasalu’s house on Halls Road in Kilpauk for more than two years. He had quit his job about three months ago. Srinivasalu is into export of cooking oil, said the police.

After returning to the city recently, Sujan found a job at a furniture shop in Nungambakkam. On Monday, he visited Srinivasalu’s house and offered to cookdinner for the family. Srinivasalu, his wife Nandhini and daughter Sai Jasvanthi had the pasta he made and fell unconscious, said the police.

When they woke up on Tuesday morning, the family realised 15 sovereigns, cash and two mobile phones were missing from the house. As Sujan was also missing, they suspected that he might have spiked the food and stole the valuables. They lodged a complaint at the Kilpauk police station on Tuesday afternoon.

Assistant Commissioner Raja and his team immediately alerted the Government Railway Police at Chennai Central. As they expected, Sujan came to the railway station on Wednesday night where he was arrested. The valuables were recovered from him and he was remanded. The police said Sujan had mixed a fruit extract in the pasta. Further investigation is on