3 held for stealing car to get spare parts

Ramkumar, a taxi driver, was approached by four persons who wanted to go to Chennai on Monday. When the vehicle neared Tirupanangadu, one of the four feigned vomitting and Ramkumar stopped the vehicle. The quartet then assaulted the driver, inflicting a knife wound on his left arm. While the driver took to his heels, the others sped away with the car.

The driver alerted night patrol police who admitted him to the Kancheepuram government hospital and Brahmadesan police registered a case. When the car paid toll at a plaza, car owner Pachayappan received an SMS which was immediately forwarded to the police. Tiruvannamalai SP Pavan Kumar Reddy alerted his counterparts in Madurai and Tiruchy districts. As the car was proceeding via Pudukkottai, it was intercepted and Velpandian of Madurai who was at the wheels was nabbed. But one person escaped.

During interrogation, Velpandian allegedly confessed that he did not have money to buy spares for his car. When he approached his friends, Satish Kumar of Kancheepuram and Rajasekar of Cheyyar for money, they suggested stealing a car to cannibalise it for the spare parts.

After stealing the car, Velpandian dropped off Satish Kumar and Rajasekar at Cheyyar, and was on his way to Madurai when he was nabbed. Based on this information, the other two were also arrested and remanded in custody.