Gang posing as tenants tie up cop’s wife and rob valuables

CHENNAI: City Police have launched a hunt for a trio who allegedly tied up a 72-year-old woman, wife of a retired Police Inspector, after gaining entry in her house in Arumbakkam in the pretext of enquiring about house-for-rent and then robbed 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs 60,000 in cash.

The gang also allegedly removed some of the woman's clothes and then filmed her and threatened her to not approach the police.

Police sources said that the woman, U Ganga, lived on the first floor of Ambedkar Street in Arumbakkam. After the death of her husband Uma Sankar, she stayed with her son Mahadeva Prasad and daughter-in-law Jayashree.

On Monday evening, when her son and daughter-in-law were away at work, three men knocked on the door and asked Ganga about the vacant portion for rent. As she was answering them, they pushed her inside and tied her up and gagged her.

Police sources said that they took away Rs 8 lakh worth of gold jewellery and cash from the locker. Police said that the gang also recorded a video of her and threatened her.

When her son came home, he rescued her mother and moved her to a private hospital. Based on her complaint, Arumbakkam police have registered a case. Police have collected CCTV camera footage from the nearby shops and residences to trace the suspects. Further investigations are on.