3 thieves die in separate incidents in Coimbatore and Namakkal districts

COIMBATORE: Three thieves met their tragic end while fleeing away after committing theft in separate incidents in Coimbatore and Namakkal districts.

The police said Sameer, (28) from Sundarapuram, was caught red-handed by villagers when he attempted to break open the hundial of a temple at Nadupalayam near Sulur on Wednesday past midnight.

The burglar's alarm got turned on when he attempted to break the hundial and the villagers gathered immediately.

They caught the accused and thrashed him severely. On receiving information, the Sulur police rushed to the spot and admitted him to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). Despite treatment, Sameer succumbed to injuries on Friday.

The Sulur police registered a case of murder and arrested Kanagaraj, (40), who runs a saloon, and two farmers Duraimurugan, (37) and Palanivel, (51), while a search is on to nab two others identified as Chandru and Kathirvel.

In another incident, R Naveen, (25) from Namakkal and M Mari, (25) from Nesapakkam in Chennai died when they sped away in their two-wheeler after way-laying a coconut trader in Namakkal on Thursday night.

The police said P Ponnar, (31) was bound to Kattupudur in Trichy from Namakkal in a two-wheeler around midnight.

One of the accused lay on the road acting as if he had an epileptic attack near Mohanur, while the other person sought help intercepting him. When Ponnar stopped, the duo attacked him brutally and snatched his mobile phone and Rs 5,000 before fleeing away.

While speeding away in their two-wheeler, the duo slipped on the road and one of them died on the spot and the other person got injured. An inquiry is under way.